Cutting the tie to copyright without cutting the profit
An interview by Matthew Leung
The UK record label Fading Ways provides an innovative way for listeners to support musicians who decide to distribute their music without the traditional copyright restrictions.
This show first aired on WVKR 91.3 FM Poughkeepsie at 7:30am ET on April 7, 2008
Full show playing (30 minutes):
Show rundown (transcript of opening and interview questions):
0:05-0:15 From the WVKR Studios in Poughkeepsie, New York, you’re listening to The Technology Beat, also online at www.TheTechnologyBeat.com. I’m your host, Matt Leung.
0:15-0:50 Today, we’re going to start our 2-part series to see how record labels and businesses make use of the free distribution of music based on the Creative Commons license. Creative Commons, which has been a theme in a few of the previous shows, is a legal system for musicians to distribute their music for free while retaining some level of protection. There are many versions of Creative Commons licenses, but the fundamental concept for all Creative Commons licenses is that music under these licenses are distributed to the public for free.
0:50-1:10 For record labels and businesses, Creative Commons can be a very beneficial tool, and we are going to see how this is so by talking with Neil Layton in the next half hour. Neil is the founder and director of this multinational indie-record label.
Neil is joining us today from London today via Skype, welcome to the show day.
Interview questions: (Length of interview: 20 minutes)
1. So, eventually, your project grew into a label and other bands joined in as well?
2. Uh huh, and I guess the way that your record label and online store is setup is that people can get the music for free because the music is licensed with Creative Commons, but then there’s also the business part, where people pay for the music to use it in their work, such as a documentary or movie. Can you talk about the role that Creative Commons plays in the business aspect?
3. Right.
4. Uh huh, now, does the creative commons license also govern how the profits can be divided in the situation you just described?
Going into music break:
That’s very interesting. We’re going to take a short break now with a song from Neil, it’s called Happiness is Everything from his album released last year called “Pretty Volume.” And right after the song, I’m going to continue the conversation with Neil.
After music break:
On the show today, who’s been talking with me about Creative Commons, is Neil Leyton, founder and director of the indie record label Fading Ways.
Now, can you talk about the role that Creative Commons plays in getting independent artists’ music out to the public, which then can lead to business deals later on.
5. And I’m glad you brought up John Buckman from Magnatune, because he’s the person I’m interviewing next week. Now, can you talk about the major differences between your label and Megnatune. Is the major difference in the genre of music?
6. And for the future, how do you see Creative Commons evolving in relation to the commercial music scene?
7. And for your business specifically, how do you think it’s going to evolve along with Creative Commons?
Those are very insightful comments and analysis of the current state of the commercial music scene. It’s been a pleasure talk with you in the last half hour.
Introduction of song: And for the last remaining few minutes of the song, I’m play you a song from one of Neil’s earlier album called Staring. It’s from his second solo album released in 2002 called “From the Brighter Side of her Midnight Sun” that was released in 2002.
[Song]
And that was the song Staring by Neil Layton, a musician and director of the indie record label Fading Ways, which is online at www.FadingWayMusic.com. And as we have mentioned during the interview, next week’s guest will be John Buckmann from Magnatune, who will be our guest for part two of this two-part series on the integration of Creative Commons with record labels and music businesses. Join us next week to hear about John Buckmann’s pioneering use of Creative Commons in digital licensing with his commercial business. And as always, the show you are hearing streams on www.TheTechnologyBeat.com 24-7, you can visit the show’s website for a recap of today’s show as well as links to the sites we discussed today. And I hope you will be back next week for The Technology Beat.
[End of show]
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