Pirates and Thieves

02011-04-29 | Uncategorized | 14 comments

Ottmar Liebert – Collection [19 CD] (1990-2010) MP3 – 320
Ottmar Liebert – Collection [19 CD] (1990-2010) MP3 – 320

Why limit oneself to sharing one album, when one can share 19 of them. What an ass! Why do I even bother to record anything at this point?

As Dave pointed out in the comments, I record for the fans who aren’t douche bags (his words).

True, and also for myself.

By the way, I watched the DVD Inside Job the other night – the film that won an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature this year – more on Wikipedia. Talk about a culture that is unsustainable! Educating, infuriating. It’s a must-see!

Also, we received our Santa Fe CDs, which means that they will be available from us during the Spring tour. I am not pleased with a way the cover looks. Because sharpies don’t write well on coated stock we switched to printing on the other, uncoated, side. The first album cover printed on the uncoated stock was Petals On the Path, and it looked OK. Well, this one doesn’t look very good. (what happens when one is in a rush and has no time to approve the actual printing)

But, here is another way to look at this:

It’s a limited edition of 1,000 CDs… because once these are sold we will completely re-design the cover!

The music on the CD, on the other hand, sounds amazing. I am really happy with the way it turned out.

14 Comments

  1. dave

    “Why do I even bother to record anything at this point?” … for the fans who aren’t douche bags?

    Reply
  2. ottmar

    Obviously. And, perhaps, because I must.

    I am resigned to that. But, our current (((I write current because it is not sustainable))) just-download-it-for-free culture also means that should I have an accident or fall ill, I cannot count on income from recordings. I am in excellent health and have a house I could sell (((and hand insurance))), but what about musicians who are older and more frail? Will we find them on park benches because their catalog does not sell, yet thousands or even millions of people download their music for free?

    Reply
  3. yumi

    As dave (ahem…) points out, for those who do sincerely care about the music.

    It is wrong and deserving of whatever penalty. Should you be angry and frustrated? Without reservation, of course you should be.

    Recording music is one step of making music. My hope is that it should never prevents or discourages you from the inspiration of creating music, or the joy of playing music…all which came first.

    Reply
  4. Franklyn

    “Why limit oneself to sharing one album”

    Ottmar even 1 album shouldn’t be defined as sharing
    perhaps a few songs, also filesonic is not a private server to share with friends and family anyone on planet earth can download them…You should contact filesonic so they take it down…I know you can’t police every file out there but, the whole collection? What the F***?

    I think the idea of buying stuff you actually care about is slowly fading it’s like people must have access to everything, like digital gluttony…I have bought all your albums in real time so they are part of a point in time in my life I think when people get all these mp3s in one shot they cannot convey that meaning.

    I am taking my 11 year old
    daughter to see you at Yoshi’s this July I will buy the new Santa Fe that night so it will be part of that memory
    along with your performance, all the free mp3s in the world cannot substitute that, your recorded and live music means a lot to quite a lot of people, it will be a sad day when we have no more new OL albums to look forward to.

    Reply
  5. Carol Anderson

    That’s horrible. I wonder if those kind help themselves to to a few cars on the lots for nothing, leaves gas unpaid for and fills his car with “free stuff” from stores store. Integrity is nil in those who offer downloads for nothing, and those that carry on the thievery and download them. Sick.

    Reply
  6. dave

    Is this not a description of the same type of mentality at work in a different situation…

    From Robert Fripp’s April 13 diary:
    Cells invade classical space:: Posted by toycritic on April 13, 2011
    I’ve long since become resigned to seeing glowing cellphones at rock and folk concerts. Tonight, at a performance of Beethoven’s Ninth at Symphony Space in NYC, I saw them for the first time at a classical concert, including the guy sitting next to me. He took it out three times during the choral movement alone. I cupped my hand over the side of my face to avoid seeing the bright screen. He couldn’t (or wouldn’t) take the hint.

    But Mr. Cellphone Photographer had the right to behave in any way that he wanted! Even rudely and coarsely, without courtesy or manners! Even to spoil the performance for Mr. Toycritic! Because Mr. CP had handed over his hard-earned pay! He gave Mr. Beethoven his money! And the orchestra too! Besides, Mr. CP keeps classical music alive in NYC! That gives him the right!

    Mr. Toycritic describes what is now part of contemporary performance practice. Until establishments-venue staff / representatives, performers and audients determine and find a consensus on what constitutes acceptable behaviour, the retreat from civility is likely to continue apace. Those who find current practice acceptable will continue. Others will tolerate it and complain. And a few will change the way they live their lives; I am one of these. Presently, there is loss. How to turn this seeming disadvantage to our advantage?

    He couldn’t (or wouldn’t) take the hint. This is an interesting subject. The behaviour is a given: function. Could Mr. CP have behaved otherwise? If so, why did he not? The first concerns being; the second, will. –

    I guess I’m naive but I just can’t understand this way of viewing things.

    Reply
  7. Ottmar

    Well, Dave, I think it all boils down to entitlement. People feel that they are entitled to free music, entitled to disrupt a performance to take photos or even talk on the phone in a movie theater (((my brother once received applause when he threatened a jerk, who had just answered his second phone call in some movie with Harrison Ford, and made him leave the theater… in Lincoln, Nebraska, sometime in 1991 or ’92)))… we are also entitled to ruin this planet for all future generations, because damn it, we like our comforts!

    Reply
  8. Ottmar

    After one of my solo performances in San Francisco last November I was sitting at a table by the exit of the club, signing autographs for people. One young man stopped, looked at the CDs for sale and pulled money out of his pocket to pay for one he wanted me to sign. His friend said something like this to him: just have him sign any piece of paper, we can find the music on the net for free.

    To his credit the guy still bought the album, but after playing two shows that evening and then patiently meeting people and signing autographs it was that exchange that made me feel truly tired.

    Reply
  9. Guy

    Wish I was computer savvy enough to ‘take care’ of that site… re: your experience in San Fran – unfortunately, not all clowns are entertaining… I guess the feeling you felt is a reflexion of who you are: a good, honest soul who wouldn’t do harm or take advantage of his neighbor…

    Reply
  10. Brenda

    Kind of like the thief that took the copper gutter from my church a few months ago. The thief steals and sales to another thief as the ring is out of control.

    Reply
  11. dave

    Entitlement…perfect choice of word.

    Reply
  12. Adam Solomon

    “After one of my solo performances in San Francisco last November I was sitting at a table by the exit of the club, signing autographs for people. One young man stopped, looked at the CDs for sale and pulled money out of his pocket to pay for one he wanted me to sign. His friend said something like this to him: just have him sign any piece of paper, we can find the music on the net for free.”

    WOW. Did you say anything to the guy? (Or chew him out? :) )

    Reply
  13. LindaW

    I wish I could say that this kind of stuff is isolated to a few unscrupulous people, but its becoming a way of life for too many people. If punishment could be made to fit this crime 20 years of community service is still not enough. (convicting the person would be the hardest part)

    Reply
  14. Kaz

    Don’t worry about it Ottmar…the cousins are gonna pay them a nice visit!! But on a serious note, I’m very disappointed especially being a musician myself, it discourages me from investing time and money in musical projects. I feel that there isn’t anymore respect for anything – it’s very disturbing. There are many people like me who respect you and your art work. Thank you for persevering …

    Reply

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