[Fmpro] Goodbye cruel world

[Anamoe Music Discussions]

G'day all

I haven't been looking at the discussions, but I saw Chris's title in the
subject line and was concerned for him.

I am going to get each of us to ask ourselves the question - In regards to
the list, what are we hoping to achieve?

If we are looking at the list in the hope that we would get more clients,
lists are not the way to go, they are purely educational purposes.

There are avenues out there which are more the market types and with our
experience in the music industry there are many middle men out there wanting
their slice and there is nothing left over for the composer.

However, there is one free avenue and that is myspace.  But bear in mind
that there are many more in the same situation also trying to get recognised
and earn a living.

In regards to the Music Industry, there is no simple solution to a problem
that has been in existence for a long while.  It is like trying to rein a
horse after it has bolted.

It is a case of each musician/composer has to look at the demographics and
work within the system.

In regards to unions, one will find that there are composers/musicians with
religious and/or cultural beliefs that do not support unions.  Therefore
unions would not be the answer.  Those who have a religious belief put their
trust in God rather than any earthly system such as unions, businesses
industries, etc.

My husband & I have attended a range of seminars, including general business
seminars (ie those that do not have a specific industry focus).  At one
general business seminar there was the challenging thought - "There is no
set key for any business - each business has to find their own key".  That
thought goes along similar lines to two old proverbs - "what is treasure for
one is junk to another", "what is one man's medicine is another man's
poison."

I know that this is not the answer that many of you were seeking, but gives
a little glimpse which each of us of facing and it gives each of us the
challenge in how we each can get around it.

I hope my post is of assistance and that you have a great day.

Kind regards
Ruth Glover
Anamoe Productions

www.anamoe.com.au
www.myspace.com/paulhamiltonglover

-----Original Message-----
From: fmpro-bounces+chatmusic=anamoe.com.au at nxport.com
[mailto:fmpro-bounces+chatmusic=anamoe.com.au at nxport.com] On Behalf Of Chris
Alpiar
Sent: Tuesday, 18 September 2007 4:36 AM
To: fmpro at nxport.com
Subject: [Fmpro] Goodbye cruel world

Well if the leading advocate of composers is les, and he is beating the snot
out of anyone trying to make progress on our behalf, then this whole thing
is doomed. I didn't sign up for tryouts to be verbal muscle man of the year,
I was just speaking about what I see is truth. I appreciate what Les has
done, but he is bitter and he is jaded and instead of making battles inside
the ranks, he should be educating us with a positive light instead of every
goddamn instance of discussion being a proverbial baseball bat in the head. 

I am thoroughly disgusted and disenheartened and I really have a feeling
that Les is on the payroll from ascap by the venomous way he went about
shutting down any idea of collective unionism. Power of numbers is the only
way to win a battle of this nature, with numbers and money. It's never going
to ever ever work, even if you have a 1000 page documented dossier when it's
presented by 1 guy that isn't patient or skilled in being more then
emotional. 

Obviously though that is what the people on this list want. You guys just
want status quo and to watch it burn while you get to have a community to
grieve with. With these words I am parting the list, at least for now. I
spent a LOT of energy this last few weeks working out issues and getting
past emotion to find the truth. But it seems it is only me that thinks a
union will save us. Good luck to you all, maybe we shall cross paths again
someday when you are all board members of ascap reigning over the remain 9
people that compose scores for a living

Best Wishes

Chris

-----Original Message-----
From: fmpro-bounces+chris=alpiar.com at nxport.com
[mailto:fmpro-bounces+chris=alpiar.com at nxport.com] On Behalf Of Mark Northam
Sent: Monday, September 17, 2007 3:00 AM
To: fmpro at nxport.com
Subject: Re: [Fmpro] Poop......... instead of 'turd'

On 9/16/07 11:27 PM, "Rick Blanc" <pazuni at sbcglobal.net> wrote:

> ----- Original Message -----
>   From: Pete 
>   To: pazuni at sbcglobal.net
>   Sent: Sunday, September 16, 2007 10:46 PM
>   Subject: Re: [Fmpro] Poop......... instead of 'turd' - OFFLIST
> 
> 
>   Hey Chris,
> 
>   As someone who has done battle on the FMPRO list, and
>   particularly Les, I understand how mentally draining
>   it can be. 
> 
>   Like you, I've had only the most positive intentions.
>   Les, unfortunately, is a bitter, jaded soldier in our
>   fight. I think in the end, he's really a good guy.
>   Absorb his wisdom, but don't let him suck you down.
> 
>   Keep your spirit up!
>   Pete Surdoval


I think rather than calling less "bitter and jaded", it would be more
insightful to look into why he may be coming off this way to others...

Les has put more time, energy and money into PRO reform than anyone else I
know. He traveled to DC on his own nickel to talk to the DOJ, not knowing
they had already secretly completed the infamous AFJ2 deal which has led to
many of the most outrageous ASCAP practices we see today, starting with
1,250 signatures to get on the ballot for independent candidates.

Tens of thousands of composers get settling for lousy royalty rates for
their music because it doesn't have lyrics. Who decided that "having lyrics"
made a minute of music worth 500% more than music that didn't? Songwriters
and lyricists, of course. Les has battled this for years now, and has been
highly effective here in LA at getting a lot of issues to the forefront and
helping composers understand what's going on. And I say this from personal
experience - had I not met Les Hurdle and learned from him what the "real
deal" was with the PROs, I would never have done the investigation I did and
continue to do in this area. And I can tell you that when first confronted
with the truth about the PROs and instrumental music, I didn't believe it.
It took Les months to convince me to look deeper than the glossy brochures
and the website and see the truth behind how instrumental music is tracked
and paid by the PROs.

But while Les has continually demonstrated the oppressive and unfair actions
of the PROs to many, most composers have not chosen to act on that
information and work for better royalties. Why is a good question. Maybe
they're afraid of the PROs, maybe they don't care, maybe they're getting
special deals to keep quiet, maybe their getting sponsorships, or maybe they
just don't care about the industry, only themselves. Who knows. But it's
perhaps our industry's biggest problem - even when faced with mountains of
direct evidence of unfair treatment that is costing composers millions of
dollars per year, most composers do nothing, at least publicly.

Never in my life have I seen an industry full of people so ready and willing
to be treated so poorly. Never. It amazes me every day - I wonder what more
I can do about it, but faced with the sea of apathy and fear that is out
there, it's daunting. Or maybe those decades of PRO conditioning that our
music is "worth less" have taken their toll and the collective industry has
been conditioned for long enough to just "take it" - I don't know.

If anything I hear frustration in Les. Frustration with his fellow composers
that so many are so complacent with the situation, frustration that so few
are ready to spend time, energy and money to try and get composers some
respect and fairness from the PROs, and frustration that the PRO's efforts
over the last 12 years to get Les written off as a "troublemaker" because
(in my opinion) he's been so effective at revealing so many embarrassing
facts about them are even taking hold here on the FMPRO list.

Les himself will tell you he's not a diplomat, and his shorthand (we're
considering a quiz - whoever can correctly translate 10 of Les' top
shorthand abbreviations wins a prize! - Seriously.) leaves some in the dust,
and it's fair to say and Les will probably agree that he's not the most
patient person in the world when confronted with people who don't "get it"
yet.

But Les Hurdle, in my book, is ultimately responsible for more PRO knowledge
and education getting to composers than anyone else I know. Sadly, the
revealing PRO's continued determination to get Les written off as a
troublemaker has taken its toll with the uninformed. I think we know better.

Rather than continue the current debate, and since Les' experience with the
PRO battles is so extensive, I'd like to invite Les to give us some history
lessons and share some of his past experiences with the list. I can tell you
I've learned a lot from his experiences, and I think others will too. Les,
it's up to you, but I hope you'll take me up on this.

Best,

Mark Northam





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