Todd Rundgren vs. The Industry

Nothing new here from Todd, but it's great to see in print the views of a well-known recording artist.

From an interview in the Boston Globe:

    Q: Where do you stand on file-sharing, free downloading, and artist's rights?

    A: These issues get smashed together because of the [Recording Industry Association of America's] facetious representation they're also on the side of the artists. Labels have never done anything for artists they weren't forced to do. They had to be forced to start paying royalties. What we need is cable TV for music, where you can download all the music you want for $20 a month.

    ...and a little later in the interview:

    Q: Is The music industry as we know it doomed?

    A: It's time for the labels to go, in the sense the way they've done business is based on a commodified model, and they've got no experience in a service model - which is what the Internet is. Only someone like J.Lo needs the labels, because she can't go out and build an audience from scratch with the quality of her singing. The future for real musicians is, was, and always will be performing.

That's it, I've gotta go drag my Todd Rundgren records out tonight.

(First posted on Mark Is Cranky)

Article tags

Spread the word
Bookmark and Share
Profile image for mark-saleski

Article Author: Mark Saleski

Mark Saleski is a writer and music obsessive based out of the Monadnock region of New Hampshire. He is an editor and writer for Jazz.com. He also writes reviews for Blogcritics.org and produces the weekly feature The Friday Morning Listen. …

Visit Mark Saleski's author pageMark Saleski's Blog

Read comments on this article, and add some feedback of your own
  • Something/Anything? Something/Anything?

    Digitally remastered reissue of his 1972 album. Features the original cover art & all 25 cuts from when Bearsville firstreleased it as a two LP set in 1972, including the top five smash 'Hello, It's ...

  • Healing Healing
  • The Ever Popular Tortured Artist Effect The Ever Popular Tortured Artist Effect

Article comments

Add your comment, speak your mind

Personal attacks are NOT allowed.
Please read our comment policy.
Please preview your comment.

blogcritics lists for Nov 30, 2009

fresh articles Most recent articles site-wide

fresh comments Most recent comments site-wide

most comments Most comments in 24hrs

top writers Most prolific Blogcritics for October

top commenters Most prolific Commenters in 24 hrs