As you well know, computers have quickly taking over as the main medium for music distribution. Whether you are paying for it or using legally questionable file-sharing methods, we all have obtained our music with just a couple clicks. Rather than complain about the loss of the other music formats and low quality bit rates (let that be for another post), let's chat about music ownership and, in turn, the shift in copyright law.The documentary RiP: A Remix Manifesto spotlights these issues highlighting the career and legal battles of media manipulating, mash-up master, Girl Talk, aka Gregg Gillis. If you don't know, Girl Talk employs technology to take parts, beats and stems of different songs from across the spectrum of music and build a new, Andy Warhol-style, independent song. These newly created artistic statements make comments on the culture of rapid fire music acquisition and our ADHD-addled upbringings as well as putting your ass on the dance floor. It also lays out the history of copyright law as it has been over time formed by corporations rather than allowing for the intended freedoms, fair usage and eventual public domain that it provided at one time.
The legal issues taking place with music right now could not be more prevalent. Apple and other corporate attempts and failings at digital rights management (DRM), the ongoing (and stalling) campaign against file-sharing, major record companies attempts to impose fees on people who play music (e.g. radio stations, DJ's, Ellen Degeneres)...these things are at the forefront of rights of ownership, music distribution and internet freedoms.
You can actually download the entire movie and pay what you would like (or not) through the RiP website. In the meantime, enjoy the first of nine parts of the movie here, all posted on YouTube for free:
No comments:
Post a Comment