Speaking Out

Clear Channel is always referred to as, you know, this great Satan, or the worst example of this. They've done nothing different from what other businesses would do given the state of their industry, what the FCC deregulation of the industry has said, that you are allowed to own thousands of radio stations if you want to. I mean, it makes sense that a businessman would say, "Well, let's do it. And then let's use our clout to make even more money." I think it's a bit of a red herring when people say that the music industry is all screwed up; it's Clear Channel and all this kind of thing. It's actually the way business is done in America that's kind of messed up. Because this is not unique to the music industry. I mean, look at the pharmaceutical industry and how business is done in that industry with free samples and holidays and going to doctors and all this kind -- I mean, this is how business is done in America today. It's not just the music industry. So it shouldn't surprise us. So why are we surprised? I don't know why we're surprised. I guess most people don't take too much notice of this stuff. You know, we all go about our lives. Everybody has got their lives to lead. We have to worry about paying the bills, the mortgage and getting the kids out of the house in the morning. Now, people are not worried about how the music industry is squeezing independent artists out of getting airplay. But, it's only when we think back and we say to ourselves, "my God, for 30 years I've been listening to the Rolling Stones and Elton John and Madonna and The Beatles. And 30 years from now what am I going to be listening to, because I can't find anything I like on the radio?" I mean, maybe that's when you suddenly say to yourself, maybe this matters. Well, maybe if you're our age, you're thinking that. But, if you're 20 you're not thinking that, because you weren't there when that golden era of FM radio was there and independent music did get heard, and record labels signed artists that actually expected it to take three albums before they brought them in. We know that because we were perhaps around then. But the younger generation of music listeners is not aware of that stuff. This stuff is not a surprise to them. Does it matter? Sure, it matters. It matters because in a society where artists are squeezed out of being heard or seen, whether it's in music or any other art form, then you're really not getting a challenge to the status quo. So, if music is being made by an independent artist, but is not being heard, then things are not going to change. There's no challenge to the accepted norm. And that's really what the artists are for, and that's the role that they play throughout history. …