From: utzoo!decvax!yale-com!brunix!pss Newsgroups: net.music Title: Re: tape tax Article-I.D.: brunix.1594 Posted: Fri Feb 18 12:29:12 1983 Received: Sun Feb 20 05:14:35 1983 References: nmtvax.192 The record companies' desire to tax blank tapes is merely another of their misdirected attempts to find a scapegoat for their declining sales. The "side issues" that Greg Titus mentioned are the real problems. I tape almost every record I buy. Tapes can be played in portable units. Records can't. Furthermore, the records manufactured today can not withstand repeated (i.e. more than one) playings without sustaining noticeable damage. If tapes were to cost more, I would probably buy fewer records. Occasionally I will tape a record that belongs to a friend, or (horrors!) off the radio. Usually, if I enjoy the tape I will buy other records by the same artist. I know other people act similarly; "home taping" often encourages record-buying. If the record companies need to find reasons for slumping sales, they shouldn't have to look too hard. Compare the physical quality of records released today, as compared with those released, say, in the sixties. Today's recording process results in a much better sound, but it is wasted on the garbage into which it is pressed. Bubbles, surface blemishes, and warps are standard. If I were to return every record that wasn't near-perfect, I'd deplete the stock of every record store in town. As for what is cut into the grooves, well, it's hard to be objective, but certain trends can be seen quite easily. Notice which artists get the greatest amount of PR. The established million-sellers, of course. That's because the record companies are generally unwilling to take chances on new talent, unless they can prove themselves to be salable (a Catch-22). No wonder most of today's fresh new music comes from Europe. (Naturally, imports cost more). Meanwhile, the record companies wonder why fewer people buy the latest high-priced (to pay the artist) album by some stale platinum group. Sorry for using so many bytes. It's just that this has bothered me for a long time, and I'd hate to see home taping lose its desireability. (Or legality). Paul Strauss, Brown Univ. ...!{decvax, vax135, yale-comix}!brunix!pss pss.brown@udel-relay