Gene Simmons: Lashing out at Downloading

[Jordan]

I could say so many things about him, but instead i'm going to say:

lol

[Luke]

Tool Frontman Opinion:

During an interview with Australia's Beat magazine, Maynard James Keenan of TOOL, A PERFECT CIRCLE and PUSCIFER sounded off on illegal downloading, but not for selfish reasons. "I acknowledge I am one of the winners of the lottery," Keenan tells Nick Snelling. "Around the time NIRVANA came out, labels were out there looking for something different. TOOL got lucky, we got a record deal, but we were also smart and planned to do as much as we could to take advantage of it. But there's a lot of young bands out there where that $1000 in record sales could be the difference in them going on the road or recording their next record or not, you know? So kids out there need to understand that if they dig a band's music, then they have to find some way to get compensation to that band for their art so that they can ensure the band can keep making it." But looking out for the little guy isn't an endorsement to download Keenan's own material for nothing. "I can't do this for free," he said. "It's ridiculous and insulting."

Recently, the singer was quoted in Rolling Stone, where he said: "Heavy rock is sinking" and the PUSCIFER project was his way of stepping away from it and deliberately trying to make a "fun project." Does he still feel like that? "Yes. It has stagnated, it's no longer moving anywhere,' he says bluntly, speaking of the genre. "Part of it is large labels signing stuff they think is easy and a quick buck, but I also think it's the bands who aren't evolving their ideas or stretching their legs musically. And the ones that are, you don't hear about — they're overlooked 'cos they're not moving units. The independent stuff is out there, bubbling underneath, but no one's giving it a chance 'cos they're all scrabbling for the next LINKIN PARK or BACKSTREET BOYS-style band."

He gives a small snort. "I just think it's one-dimensional, I'm sorry. Or maybe, that really is the best that they can do!"

Speaking of lowest common denominators, was the singer gutted over the farcical decision to award the Grammy to WOLFMOTHER (and their derivative single "Woman") over TOOL for "Best Hard Rock Performance"? "Well, you and I both know exactly where that song came from," he laughs. "But never mind all that, because it was a catchy feel-good song, which is kind what we all need right now. Forget the depth of it. If rock is dead, and nobody knows where to go and they're not moving forward, what else are they gonna do except go back and look at stuff that's been done. They want to rekindle that feeling you got when you first heard soul-inspiring rock."

I still don't agree with what's been said however Keenan put it in a much better way than Simmons for sure.

[Harlz]

You have to know that it's bullshit that downloading music doesn't harm sales.

Yes Simmons is an ass, yes the music industry corporations are jackasses and are ripping both the consumer and the artist off, but downloading is hurting sales, and probably shouldn't be happening.

[Jordan]

So Linkin Park is a boy band, oh no no no, Backstreet Boys is a Nu-Metal band, yes definately. By the way don't flame me because i do understand what he meant, i just thought it must be said.

Anyways he definately stated his argument a lot better then Simmons.

[$pvcxGhxztCasey]

surely MJK doesn't expect the kids to just go out and blindly buy an album based off one single they heard on FUSE or MTV or the radio. Downloading an album lets you get a taste and feel for the music. If you like it, move on from there.

I'm still with Reznor on this whole debacle.

[Fear]

Gene Simmons is an idiot, and after reading that, I can't help but laugh.

[Chris.]

You have to know that it's bullshit that downloading music doesn't harm sales.

Yes Simmons is an ass, yes the music industry corporations are jackasses and are ripping both the consumer and the artist off, but downloading is hurting sales, and probably shouldn't be happening.

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070212-8813.html

[Luke]

You have to know that it's bullshit that downloading music doesn't harm sales.

Yes Simmons is an ass, yes the music industry corporations are jackasses and are ripping both the consumer and the artist off, but downloading is hurting sales, and probably shouldn't be happening.

Are you kidding me? Harming sales? No fucking way. A fraction yes, but record companies still get billions and artists aren't about to fail because of 'illegal' downloading.

surely MJK doesn't expect the kids to just go out and blindly buy an album based off one single they heard on FUSE or MTV or the radio. Downloading an album lets you get a taste and feel for the music. If you like it, move on from there.

QFT.

[Paul]

I don't really understand why he's bitching about not making money off music. He's already made millions off KISS action figures.

[Rachel]

I'm gonna have to go with Casey on this one. I'm all for the Reznor side.

[Harlz]

Are you kidding me? Harming sales? No fucking way. A fraction yes, but record companies still get billions and artists aren't about to fail because of 'illegal' downloading.



QFT.

Yes they still get billions, but you can't deny that very few people still have extensive CD collections, as opposed to the older generations.

I offered to buy a mate a CD for his birthday for example, by his favourite band, and his immediate response was "I'll just download it man..."

Now multiply that by a few million other similar cases which must be out there, and then try and tell me it's not harming the record industry.

And of course artists aren't gonna fail 'cos of piracy, they've never made their money from CD sales anyway

[Chris.]

Yes they still get billions, but you can't deny that very few people still have extensive CD collections, as opposed to the older generations.

I offered to buy a mate a CD for his birthday for example, by his favourite band, and his immediate response was "I'll just download it man..."

Now multiply that by a few million other similar cases which must be out there, and then try and tell me it's not harming the record industry.

And of course artists aren't gonna fail 'cos of piracy, they've never made their money from CD sales anyway

Did you go to the link I gave you? According to that study, downloading affects less than 1% of album sales. I don't think it's harming the industry.

[esaul17]

Yes they still get billions, but you can't deny that very few people still have extensive CD collections, as opposed to the older generations.

I offered to buy a mate a CD for his birthday for example, by his favourite band, and his immediate response was "I'll just download it man..."

Now multiply that by a few million other similar cases which must be out there, and then try and tell me it's not harming the record industry.

And of course artists aren't gonna fail 'cos of piracy, they've never made their money from CD sales anyway

You have to also remember the people who usually wouldn't buy a CD, but downloaded some tracks off it and fell in love with it. Multiply that by a few million.

[Harlz]

Did you go to the link I gave you? According to that study, downloading affects less than 1% of album sales. I don't think it's harming the industry.

I understand where you're coming from, but studies such as that can't sway my opinion to tell the truth, when my personal experiences seem to show the opposite.

Not that I'm saying I'm sure I'm right, it just seems a little unbelievable to me.

@ esaul - Ok that's also a valid point.

[mcpancakes]

sounded like Rob's "A Brief History of Record Industry Suicide:..." by saying that the record companies dug themselves into this hole. but Rob's for downloading, and that's the difference

[Iain]

I'm also for free downloading, even though it's technically against the law. Hence why I don't tell anyone about it until my statute of limitations is up. And, since my thirty days is up on my last download, I'll say that I finally got Minutes to Midnight through Limewire, and I love it. So much, in fact, that I'm gonna go out and buy it, so that LP loses no money from my selfishness.

[Luke]

Yes they still get billions, but you can't deny that very few people still have extensive CD collections, as opposed to the older generations.

I offered to buy a mate a CD for his birthday for example, by his favourite band, and his immediate response was "I'll just download it man..."

Now multiply that by a few million other similar cases which must be out there, and then try and tell me it's not harming the record industry.

And of course artists aren't gonna fail 'cos of piracy, they've never made their money from CD sales anyway

Are you kidding me? I have over 250 CDs but I'm also a regular downloader (both free and itunes) simply because it's more convienient than going out to Virgin Megastore or some place like that and buying a CD for a ridiculous price. I saw a Killswitch Engage album in virgin the other day priced at £17.99 (the american equivelant of $36). Why would you wanna pay that much for a disc that could break or be scrathed when you can just download it off itunes for like more than half that price or if possible download it elsewhere for free.

CDs will never loose their place in the music industry. Rest assured.

[Zakrisk]

surely MJK doesn't expect the kids to just go out and blindly buy an album based off one single they heard on FUSE or MTV or the radio. Downloading an album lets you get a taste and feel for the music. If you like it, move on from there.

I'm still with Reznor on this whole debacle.

And, remember kids, Reznor said he doesn't to say it isn't wrong. He thinks it's wrong, too.

[Luke]

There's too much emphasis on this whole debate. Downloading wont stop unless someone actually executes Gene Simmons' idea of suing everyone who's ever downloaded music for free. Either that or close down the internet. Somehow I don't think either will ever be done so unfortunatly the debate can continue until the end of time, it will never be resolved though.

[Iain]

Problem is, you can't sue someone once the statute of limitations is up. You can't do anything at all.