During a keynote speech at the Face the Music conference in Melbourne this past weekend, renowned producer Steve Albini addressed the state of today’s music industry. Topics ranged from advantages of the internet, to death of major labels, copyright law and more. Among them: Prince.
“If your little daughter does a kooky dance to a Prince song don’t bother putting it on YouTube for her grandparents to see or a purple dwarf in assless chaps will put an injunction on you. Did I offend the little guy? Fuck it. His music is poison.”
He continued,
“Music has entered the environment as an atmospheric element, like the wind, and in that capacity should not be subject to control and compensation. Well, not unless the rights holders are willing to let me turn the tables on it. If you think my listening is worth something, OK then, so do I. Play a Phil Collins song while I’m grocery shopping? Pay me $20 (£12). Def Leppard? Make it $100 (£60). Miley Cyrus? They don’t print money big enough.”
He also called online music sharing the best thing since punk rock, explaining,
“The single best thing that has happened in my lifetime in music, after punk rock, is being able to share music, globally for free. That’s an incredible development.”