Maybe it's the heat...

[chas smith R.I.P.]

Maybe it's the heat, maybe it's the indignation over the recent revelations of corporate/business ethics or lack of, maybe it's just feeling powerless... I was reading the biz section of the paper and the article on the problems Vivendi is having, trying to spin off Universal Music Group, and how music companies want to change the their business model.

They "...are considering a contract system under which labels would become "partners" in all aspects of the careers of the newly signed artists, including concert tours, advertising sponsorships and film and TV deals in the hopes of generating new streams of revenue... Record executives believe that they are due a bigger chunk in return for the money they spend turning an unknown into a star who then goes on to make millions of dollars in movies and marketing deals..."
"But such a restructuring of business is certain to meet opposition in the ranks of artist representatives, who believe the value of their clients should not revert to companies that simply release and market music."

This indignation with the business of selling art is a recurring topic and I hope that it will continue to be. It centers on one group of people, business, who view another group, artists, as product and a source of revenue and that in turn denigrates what we do. I often joke about being a whore, I don't think anyone would argue that they are pimps