I must say I'm surprised to hear this position from you. It doesn't seem your usual take on things. I don't think your position is unreasonable, incidentally, just uncharacteristic.... Hijexx wrote:
] Sorry, but if a mix CD is sold and has unlicensed usage of an
] RIAA cartel copyrighted song, it's fair game for them to bust
] the store. Well, it seems like there is a grey area here. Somebody trying to sell "mix" CDs that are the equivalent of a playlist ought to get popped, but their is no black and white line between this and a hip hop record. Its all shades of grey. I did see those images you posted, and the front and center track lists certainly feel like piracy more then art. This case may have been on that side of the line. On the other hand, while fair use does not cover derivative works, small hip hop, rave DJ, and other found sound acts don't have the resources, financial and otherwise, to track and clear all the material they are using. Squash them, and you squash part of the culture that makes music happen. Similar things can be said about small record stores. This is where fads start. This is where the people who are out looking for new music to listen to find it and start telling their friends. These things make up the primordial soup in which new music trends are created. The more the RIAA believes that real music comes from a committee, and cracks down on this community, the more damage they do to the real vitality of our culture, further reducing the public's interest in the things that the music industry is producing, and ultimately further reducing their revenues. It is the self destructiveness of greed in motion. Its Pop eating itself. ] With regard to the economics of "independent" record stores
] not being able to get the bulk discounts like the big chains
] do, sorry, them's the breaks. The writing is on the wall for
] independent music stores. Time to evolve or die. I think that indy music stores struggle in Nashville because most of the people there are into country. Its hard to run a small music store there. No one cares. Atlanta, on the other hand, had a number of small music store institutions. They have been around for a long long time and still seem to be doing well. When I was in college I used to go to L5 just because it was fun. Its a little out of the way now that I live up north, but I still enjoy going down there every once in a while. I will admit, however, that internet music stores have made those shops a lot less important. It used to be worth the trek to go down there to get something rare. Now I can just order it online. That does change the dynamics. But it also means I'm missing something. I'm missing the clue that the guy behind the counter had about the music. Where can I find that online... I think I'm going to find it on recommender networks like Memestreams.... So I guess I do think that you are right. These stores are going to be replaced by something a lot more interconnected and a lot more effective. But right now we are in the lull... The record stores have diminished in influence. The net is here but has not yet met its potential. The net still feels more like CNN Center then L5. This reminds me of another conversation going on in MemeStreams about Clear Channel... RE: RIAA raiding small music stores for selling DJ mix CDs | 
