Emails Between Jon and Sub Pop Rep

—–Original Message——————————————————————-
Sent: Wednesday, October 05, 2005
From: Jon

I just wanted to let you folks know that I think it is total crap that you only offer a partial album for Wolf Parade on iTunes— I assume this is to force people to buy one track at a time, thereby making people pay $12 like they would if they bought the CD. I know Sub Pop has changed in the last few years but I didn’t expect that kind of manure.

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Sent: Wednesday, October 05, 2005
From: SPR

I think it’s total crap that you would write here and start insulting us instead of bothering to ask questions, but that’s neither here nor there. The fact is that there is actually a problem on ITUNE’S end that we are actively working to correct.

Thanks for your support, generosity, and kind words.
-SPR

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Sent: Wednesday, October 05, 2005
From: Jon

First let me say that the email was sent accidentally before I was done.

Second, the reason I was so upset was that in addition to the Wolf Parade troubles I had just stumbled onto Sub Pop’s FAQ where I learned that students can’t get permission to use any music [in films] without paying $500. That to me rings of greed, considering students are not making money, or more accurately, that school is costing them money. What’s more it is petty to complain when someone tries to do right and get permission that doing otherwise would “take food off their tables” especially when there is no logic to such sentiment— people aren’t going to watch a movie instead of buying an album and if anything demanding $500 only decreases the chances of getting any money from students— but I doubt anyone at Sub Pop cares about that, which speaks volumes in itself.

Why make such a big deal of this you ask? Because to me it indicates bigger things; it indicates a focus on the business of music rather than the music of music. I read things like that and I see the mindset of a big label that disdains everything about its customers but their money. When I read things like that after suspecting foul play in the area spoken of earlier I jumped to conclusions— in this case I was wrong about Wolf Parade, and for that I apologize. But I do not apologize for thinking that Sub Pop is more concerned (even if only slightly) with money than with music, actions after all are the ultimate proof of where our hearts lie.

With all this said, I will add that I wish it wasn’t so. I’m not angry, I’m upset because at one time I thought better of you folks. Finally bear in mind that this isn’t a personal attack and while I am sure it can’t help but get a bit personal I am sure that you are your own person and may in fact care much more about music than business.

Sorry if the earlier email, or this one ruins your day or an hour or a minute.

take care,
Jon

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Sent: Wednesday, October 05, 2005
From: SPR

Jon! It’s called the music business for a reason, and I hate to burst the bubble, but if these awesome bands weren’t interested in making some money for their efforts they probably wouldn’t be ON a label. If you think you can find more another label this size that cares less about the business I’d be intrigued.

Also, this is kind of a funny argument from someone who buys music over the internet….. My how times have changed.

What are you studying by the way?

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Sent: Wednesday, October 05, 2005
From: SPR

Oh one more thing—regarding the use of music in student films: Did you know that most of the time I don’t even respond to people’s emails regarding using songs when I can tell that it’s just for some school project? Do you understand that concept that we can’t be everywhere at once, but once you ask we have to give you the LEGAL answer? Does this make any sense?

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Sent: Wednesday, October 05, 2005
From: Jon

SPR, the first label that pop’s into my head is Dischord– maybe you’ve seen it already, but Ian MacKaye gave an interesting interview here: http://www.downhillbattle.org/interviews/ian_mackaye.php that is worth a read. What I find interesting is he responds as both a musician and the owner of a label. I’m not so optimistic as to assume that everyone could be like him, or fanatic enough to think everyone should be, but I have the hope that the artist and the idea of music take precedent over business. I really have to question any musician that is in it for money more than music, regardless of apparent talent.

That said I do try to support musicians as best as I can. I like the idea of buying music over the internet because if it gets to the point where people can see it as a legitimate and feasible way to distribute music over time it will erode some of the power major labels have over musicians— which in my silly dreams means more creativity, more musicians, and more money for them (and less to gigantic labels). I think sooner or later labels will see that their role in music has changed, and that only the labels that can adapt to that change will survive. We often hear that the music industry is in decline and from that make all sorts of odd assumptions, but music wasn’t designed to be an industry in the first place, it’s inevitable that there would be business elements, but industry was never a logical conclusion. All of this is to say, yes times have changed and they will continue to do so in a very noticeable way despite anyone’s effort to suppress it.

In response to students & music: okay, I understand— please accept my apologies for ranting at you in the prior email, and again in this one.

Oh, and I am studying for my mfa in creative writing— poetry to be exact. Poets by and large make little money for doing what they love, but they still do it. That is what I love about art— that is why I think music doesn’t have to be so much about money. But I understand how the world works— common denominators, etc.

thanks for being thoughtful in your response
have a nice day,
Jon

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Wednesday, October 10, 2005
From: SPR

That is a very thoughtful response, Jon! I agree and disagree—I think Dischord is a little smaller than SP, but I see where you are going with it. I also understand the whole idea that the industry, for lack of a better word, is heading in a different direction with the internet and all but I believe/hope that the music that I love and listen to will always be available in some actual form and not merely downloadable. (I’m not even going to begin to get into a class argument here, but really it’s awesome that we can sit in college and at work and even have time to discuss this shit…) You are making some weird contradictions here, I think—you don’t want to concern yourself with the majors and their poor business practices yet you want to teach them a thing or two about downloading. The real honest to goodness fact of the matter here is that there are always going to be HUGE companies pushing utter crap that the majority of the people eat up, whether it be by downloads or whatever. Additionally, there are ALWAYS going to be kids putting out records in their basements and small to large indie labels doing the same. I remember when it was totally unpunk to have a CD player… I can’t tell you how embarrassed I am of my iPod.

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There was one final email I sent but it is in The Land of Lost Emails, I’m afraid. In my memory it could be summarized as something like:

• The points MacKaye makes don’t really concern label size.
• Change is inevitable, I don’t want to change labels I want the “industry” to change. The big labels won’t change, they’ll just die.
• CD’s are more expensive and portable players are getting cheaper. They are also more environmentally friendly. Even when they are in “actual” form they are still just digital, so there is no real difference.
• I don’t care what is and is not punk, though I was ashamed of my iPod for all of 2002 and most of 2003.
• You can’t make me feel bad for going to school and thinking about art and arguing for things to be more accessible when you are doing the things that make music harder to share and enjoy.
• People may still listen to crap, but maybe they wont.