Muse-Wrapped Discussion

James Lee wrote: I'll go one or two steps further than Cert...I don't really care for the attitude expressed in TG's post, and I won't be spending a cent on Muse-Wrapped, due solely to that one post. In fact, if my favorite band had an exclusive track on their site, I would go out of my way to obtain it through other means, just out of spite, and send a check to the band directly instead. Is Magellan even any good? It's hard to believe someone who thinks like that could be responsible for music of any quality.

I don't mean to sound like a shill for Muse-Wrapped or even Magellan, but the article I read in Billboard about Hipsolve and Muse-Wrapped made it clear they'll be targeting all types of music in the future, not just prog. I don't think they'll lose any sleep or money just because James Lee dissaproves.

I would encourage everyone here to first get a full understanding of DRM's purposes. This may vary depending on who is using it. Sometimes even the artist or label gets to "customize the rules". 

There are huge marketing advantages for creators of music to use DRM as a "viral selling tool"

This is why I for one will never trust it. No matter who sells it.

and as a method to slow (and now track) piracy. For example, DRM is making it possible for us to ensure Steve Walsh is paid MORE for the track you bought. We can promote his upcoming album in ways not previously possible! We can also provide "pre-delivery of files"  (count down to a specific time and date) or add additional marketing impressions across other systems.

It's not all bad though - like anything

Are you aware that over 600 illegal downloads have already happened with the Magellan album? Well, those downloads were DRMed. We slowed the rate of theft by 98% and at the same time gave people the ability to demo the songs and choice to buy. Perfect balance. By the way, digital sales DO NOT erode physical CD sales, they actually increase them! Look it up. We've already proven this in the real world.

We have given you a very reasonable customer experience and user options, provided you good pricing and special access to music that would otherwise be unavailable. Our company has invested 7 digit money into preserving the future economic stability of this genre. Who else has stepped up in such a way? No one.

We will also bring many new exciting things forward that you are not even aware of yet. How about the benefit of the doubt here?

I too, misunderstood DRM a couple of years ago. It will offer countless more advantages as new digital music markets emerge. Question:

Do you leave your car unlocked or hand out your visa pin# to anyone? Of course not.

Why are you then asking artists like Steve Walsh, Kansas, and others to knowingly give away their music for free JUST so you can have your MP3?

This is a very bad analogy.

No-one expects artists to give away their work, but no-one buys stuff without having an inkling of what it is they're buying.

Home taping did not kill music, as record sleeves used to threaten, and un-DRM'd mp3s have not killed it either. The music industry is just seeing dollars with wings, where before there were people exchanging music they had paid for, then buying more because they'd heard music they might not have heard otherwise.

Experience shows that while you may be honest, many others are not. Buy his CD and make an mp3...viola you're there!

You can be just as dishonest that way - viola, you can give a copy of the non-DRM'd mp3 to a friend...

I am also very disappointed in some of the hypocrisy shown by certain people who claim to be fans of prog, yet they have absolutely no problem in stealing their favorite bands work. Trust me, I've got the proof. Not only are they stealing it, but some of them are the "actual sources" for others to use. How long can this go on? We'll work on a different sort of compression for this problem.

Like I said, people like to hear it before they buy it. We don't like being called thieves, as we're not. People on ProgArchives buy music they like and ditch music they don't like. Great art talks and bullsh*t walks.

By the way, do you have any idea how "$&#*$ screwed the average "prog artist" really is? I'll bet you don't. How could you? Are you aware that the Magellan music you bought today represents the first time in my career where I benefited directly... not someone else first? 

Do you have the slightest idea what I went thru to make it? No way. It involved a hell of a lot more that writing and recording some music. 

Have you ever looked at the contracts of your fav bands? I've seen a ton of them. Have you asked yourself why a label (Musea) with over two decades of experience in selling this music would choose us as their EXCLUSIVE digital distributor? Again, think about it!

Our technology at http://hipsolve.com makes it possible for artists and labels to be paid directly to their own accounts in real time. Watch the flash presentation.

We have embarked on a long term project that will attempt to improve the future for progressive artists. We are even investing in exclusives.... just give us time.

I think I have little more credibility than most on this subject. Do you think I arrived at my conclusions by ignoring the last 15 years of my music career?

Do you think I've ever had a conversation with any of the worldclass musicians I've worked with over the years? Think about it. Why would we be putting so much behind this if it didn't make sense in the long term? We are in an evolution. Why trash that? Why not take the position of supporting the idea of  "spreading the influence and economy of progressive music" for a brighter future?

Say what you will, but I will defend musicians IP relentlessly. Did I mention that after we encode all the worlds progressive music, we will also promote it via a new music search engine that will be marketed to consumers outside the niche ? DRM is critical for the long term success of that project as well. Remember transactional efficiencies are vital. The more we streamline and offer micropayments solutions, the more the artist gets....get it? Inspired artists mean more music long term. I like music.

I think the point here is to promote progressive music to the world, right? How about becoming an evangelist instead of "one more road block for us to go around"? Don't get too committed to any one format. First, the music....the formats will come and go. If you rechannel your gripes you might even make a bigger difference to prog artists across the world than you realize!

By the way I've seen the soundscan reports for bands like DT, Tull and others. Don't steal their music...support them and buy it!

I am proud to be associated with Progarchives as we begin our evolution together.

Trent Gardner

General Manager

Muse-Wrapped Records,LLC