From: utzoo!decvax!harpo!floyd!vax135!ariel!hou5f!hou5b!hou5c!hou5e!mat
Newsgroups: net.music
Title: Re: tape tax
Article-I.D.: hou5e.226
Posted: Sun Feb 20 00:04:15 1983
Received: Sun Feb 20 06:58:05 1983
References: hao.440

Regarding GREG'S taping of albums ...

Do you think that taping is going to improve ANYTHING?

-- You end up with an inferior copy (yes, I know that for Rockthe recording
quality needs to be only a little better than pitiful.  Too often it is just
that)
-- The Dead get no royalties.  Do you thing that they deserve them?

-- The record companies have to charge more for the recordings that they
do sell,to cover fixed parts of royalties, the cost of making the recording,
cutting the master, and the plating steps to get to the stampers.  Yes, I
know that in rock, with the compressed and limited dynamics you don't need
the finest vinyl ...
-- The record companies, who can be SOBs in the first place, get more
ammunition to take to Congress when asking for a tape tax

As to $7 recordings, or even $10 recordings ... I listen to classical, jazz,
etc.  A state-of-the-art recording costs me from $12 to $18 PER DISC.  I pay
it, since if I get 100 plays out of the disc, I have paid $0.18 per play.
With a reasonably good cartridge and the vinyl used by Teldec, Telefunken, et al
I could probably play tem 300 times.
Soon digital compact discs will be available.  These will cost probably
$18 per, wit 40 min. to 65 min., with some improvement coming in the future.
I WILL pay it, since these last forever (we hope) and, with small exception,
the music that I listen to is of such value that it will not die with the
next group to come out.  Can you say that?  Perhaps if you expect to only want
20 ro 30 plays from a recording before you mark the music on it obsolete then
you have a different situation.
					hou5e!mat
					Mark Terribile