(TV) FW: Statement of Roger McGuinn re MP3

["Michael Carlucci" <michael@recordsnyc.com>]

    have any of you seen this comment on MP3 from Roger McGuinn? I think
you'll be amazed at what he has to say. I've been given erroneous
information about MP3 not paying the artists their royalties. If McGuinn's
lying then he must have some investment in the company. Read on:


Subject: Statement of  Roger McGuinn re MP3

>Hello, my name is Roger McGuinn. My experience in the
music business 
began
>in 1960 with my recording of -Tonight In Person- on
RCA Records. I 
played
>guitar and banjo for the folk group the -Limeliters.-
I subsequently
>recorded two albums with the folk group the -Chad
Mitchell Trio.- I 
toured
>and recorded with Bobby Darin and was the musical
director of Judy 
Collins+
>third album. In each of those situations I was not a
royalty artist, 
but a
>musician for hire.
>
>My first position as a royalty artist came in 1964
when I signed a 
recording
>contract with Columbia Records as the leader of the
folk-rock band the
>-Byrds.- During my tenure with the Byrds I recorded
over fifteen 
albums. In
>most cases a modest advance against royalties was all
the money I 
received
>for my participation in these recording projects.
>
>In 1973 my work with the Byrds ended. I embarked on a
solo recording 
career
>on Columbia Records, and recorded five albums. The
only money I+ve 
received
>for these albums was the modest advance paid prior to
each recording.
>
>In 1977 I recorded three albums for Capitol Records
in the group 
-McGuinn
>Clark and Hillman.- Even though the song -Don+t You
Write Her Off- was 
a top
>40 hit, the only money I received from Capitol
Records was in the form
of a
>modest advance.
>
>In 1989 I recorded a solo CD, -Back from Rio-, for
Arista Records. 
This CD
>sold approximately 500,000 copies worldwide, and
aside from a modest
>advance, I have received no royalties from that
project.
>
>The same is true of my 1996 recording of -Live From
Mars- for 
Hollywood
>Records. In all cases the publicity generated by
having recordings 
available
>and promoted on radio created an audience for my live
performances. My
>performing work is how I make my living. Even though
I+ve recorded 
over
>twenty-five records, I cannot support my family on
record royalties 
alone.
>
>In 1994 I began making recordings of traditional folk
songs that I+d 
learned
>as a young folk singer. I was concerned that these
wonderful songs 
would be
>lost. The commercial music business hasn+t promoted
traditional music 
for
>many years. These recording were all available for
free download on my
>website http://www.mcguinn.com on the Internet.
>
>In 1998 an employee of MP3.com heard the folk
recordings that I+d made
>available at http://www.mcguinn.com and invited me to
place them on 
MP3.com
>http://www.mp3.com. They offered an unheard of,
non-exclusive 
recording
>contract with a royalty rate of 50% of the gross
sales. I was 
delighted by
>this youthful and uncommonly fair approach to the
recording industry.
>MP3.com not only allowed me to place these songs on
their server, but 
also
>offered to make CDs of these songs for sale. They
absorbed all the 
packaging
>and distribution costs. Not only is MP3.com an
on-line record 
distributor,
>it is also becoming the new radio of the 21st
century!
>
>So far I have made thousands of dollars from the sale
of these folk
>recordings on MP3.com, and I feel privileged to be
able to use MP3s 
and the
>Internet as a vehicle for my artistic expression.
MP3.com has offered
me
>more artistic freedom than any of my previous
relationships with 
mainstream
>recording companies. I think this avenue of digital
music delivery is 
of
>great value to young artists, because it+s so
difficult for bands to
acquire
>a recording contract. When young bands ask me how to
get their music 
heard,
>I always recommend MP3.com http://www.mp3.com.
>
>http://www.senate.gov/%7Ejudiciary/7112000_rm.htm
>
>and on CNN >>>
>http://www.cnn.com/2000/ALLPOLITICS/stories/07/11/napster.hearing/index.html
>
>
>

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