(We are then serendipitously interrupted by Gary's taking another phone call, softly enthusing to another party, "Yes, I talked to Shaggy. He's in a good frame of mind. I'll call you later.")

GA: As for downloads, consumers' awareness of the abilities to download through us is beginning. The Verizon lawsuit is something I'm excited about. I'm hoping the ability to track the ISPs of people who are dealing in copyright infringement occurs, and on a positive note, think about how many CD burners have been sold in the last year, and our business has only gone down 10 percent!
Pricing issues have to be addressed, there is business to
be had, and it'll take many years I'm sure...we haven't hit bottom, yet, there are glimmers of hope. I feel more positive than I was even 2 years ago.

MP3.com: Tell us more about Garbage, and international
success.

GA: The Garbage signing came about through Butch Vig's manager in England. I knew them, and Butch at that stage was godlike as a producer, and I met with him. He told me he spent all his time in the studio taking people's music and then turning them into pop songs. What he wanted to do was write an album of simplistic pop songs, and then turn them into rock songs. And he did. If you listen to that first Garbage album, it was seminal. It really did change music.

I got a lot of satisfaction from that. As far as more commercial success and knowledge of international business, again, with Kylie Minogue, we sold 15 million albums worldwide. So that made a pretty big impact on me...five albums. This, when she was 21!

In America, I got a lot of Satisfaction out of Blink 182, and also watching New Found Glory and Something Corporate, because I would actually call these bands my friends. They just call to say "Hi." They are just good people. Hard workers with a solid creative direction. You couldn't have asked for a better situation.

MP3.com: How does a band submit their demo tapes to you?

GA: My favorite bands, if they have a good demo...it's someone who is actually out working, and drawing people--who has some kind of base. My least favorite band is the one that maybe has a decent demo, but only plays the Hollywood Strip. I don't' want to know them...my favorite band is anyone in the country who has a local following, who is selling records, and who draws people. They are the ones I love, who we look for, and who we really want.