Are Russian MP3 Sites Legal ?

This topic has 8 replies, 1 voice, and was last updated 14 years, 8 months ago by Phil Morse.

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August 8, 2011 at 2:00 am #5372

ellgieff
Member

I skimmed the comments briefly, and wanted to say a couple of things:

1) Copyright violation is copyright violation. Theft is theft. The two are fundamentally different: Copyright violation doesn’t impede the owner’s possesion of the item in question.

2) The music “industry” dying is actually a good thing. It means we can go back to the situation where artists produce stuff because they’re moved to – I’m expecting a return to the situation where some people patronise the arts (in the sense of being a patron) by directly supporting particular artists.

I try and do this now, by buying tunes that I may never play in a DJ set in order to show support for the artist in question.

3) Are they legal is an interesting question. Those sites are currently legal under Russian law (AFAIK). That’s actually the end of that discussion. Would I feel right using them? Not if I could get the tunes in question in some other, legal, way that supports the artist (as in “show me the money” kind of support) more.

I do have some tunes I could find no-where else that I’ve purchased through those sites in the past. These days, being a little more confident of my place in the world, I’d be likely to approach the artist directly to see if there’s somewhere to get stuff that I’m not finding.

Here’s a little story: I was looking for a digital copy of an old Farace tune (had bought a corrupted version from a legit site, found it was corrupted, and been given a refund).

I approached Farace directly. He couldn’t help me with a digital copy (although I did eventually find a “properly” legit site to get this tune from) – but sent me Vinyl of the 1st 5 releases on the label in question for the price of the postage.

That’s amazing, and I’ve bought many of his tunes since – not just because he’s a great guy, but because he makes great tunes. Less drumstep, please, Paul …

*edit: for typo*

August 8, 2011 at 5:01 am #1001320

pilotmike327
Member

Yea, I’ve finally hit 100 songs for my library and 2 of those I had to find “by some other means” because no U.S. music website had it 🙁 it’s very discouraging to want to do your part to help the artists out when these kinds of roadblocks exist.

August 8, 2011 at 3:29 pm #5401

Emma Partnow
Member

How it used to be in the ‘Old Days’ (and probably is still to some extent); my Step-Father tells me; (he has had 17 Singles and 2 Albums Released on EMI); was that he would recieve 6 Pence from every 1 Pound that was made by the selling of one of his Records; 50% of the Price of the Record would be taken by the Shop (which is Criminal in my eyes); and the Rest would be Shared between the Record Company; Publisher; Promoter etc; down to my Step-Father (who was the Songwriter; Composer; Producer – and played All the Instruments on the Record);
He also told me that when I began DJ’ing Live that there was a ‘Law’ that Stated that I had to Pay 4 Pence to Every Artist who’s Track I Played; I don’t think that was ever Enforced; but with it being the ‘Law’; I wonder what all the Screaming is about from some of the people on that DDJT Article when I Doubt (including Myself) they Ever Paid an Artist for Any Track they Played in their DJ Set;
It Disturbs when I see Fighting and Verbal Violence (such as on that DDJT Article) between DJ’s; where on this Forum we are able to Express our Opinions (sometimes Differing) in a More Mature and Respectful Manner

August 8, 2011 at 5:23 pm #5420

Irwin J. Céspedes
Member

pilotmike327, post: 5374 wrote: I had to find “by some other means” because no U.S. music website had it

In my case, I have used some of these sites mainly because, old pre-2000 EDM tunes are very hard to find, and in these sites, the digital versions are there.

Although, as ellgief said, if they are within the boundaries of the laws of its country, the discussion ends here. Also, these kind of topics touch the sensible nerves of some people, because it streaks some moral issues towards new and old methods of distribuition.

August 8, 2011 at 6:38 pm #5433

JeremiahD
Member

So lets see if we can come up with a list of “when its borderline morally ok to get digital music through non officially sanctioned means as a DJ”.

1) Old/rare tracks that are impossible to find through official digital means
2) Bootleg remixes from(typically) lesser known producers that aren’t officially sanctioned/released by the label/artist
3) Mash ups that aren’t officially sanctioned/released by the labels/artists

Anything else, or any disagreement with these 3?

As for music “dieing” due to illegal downloading it should be obvious to those in the scene that nothing could be farther from the truth. The music industry and how to have success in the industry has changed drastically over the last decade that’s for sure, as it always does when new technology arrives(from vinyl, to cassetes, to CDs, to mp3s, to whatever crazy thing is next). However the companies and artists smart enough to keep up with the changes will succeed, those that don’t will fail, just as it goes in any other industry when it comes to technological advances.

August 8, 2011 at 7:46 pm #5438

John
Participant

I wrote an entire term paper on Piracy and the effects that it carries. This paper was directed to much broader subjects and more globally but still the points still hold true.

Basically what it all boils down to is that in some countries USA included there are absolutely no ways to obtain certain tracks by legal means. 90% of all music produced before 1950 will never be digitized. So essentially it’s lost. There are lots of tracks that were released five years ago that can’t be found legally. This drives people to seek other means. When these same people realize how simple it is to get that precious track they’ve been searching for most never look back. I just last week had to find a vinyl copy on discogs because the B side had a great remix that wasn’t available anywhere else.

For the average consumer piracy isn’t about money it’s about convince. Just look at how much the “Storage Locker” sites pull in every year simply by selling access to getting multiple files or getting the files faster. Most people are willing to pay for it they just want whatever it is to be how they want to consume it and not how someone thinks they should.

Record companies for years drove up the price of CDs to above 20$ a CD while at the same time cutting way back on the production of singles. This created the bubble we are now just getting out of. iTunes still does really well, while almost every mom and pop record store and most chain stores have long been shut down. The record companies need to stop making knee jerk reactions to problems and look to the future and they will make money and we will get out music.

August 8, 2011 at 7:46 pm #5439

U31
Member

Oldskool stuff, especially pre ’94 is next to impossible to buy digitaly, i buy the 12″ – 99 times out of a hundred second hand from Oggs, Amazon or Ebay and rip it myself…
Up untill last week i was on very shaky ground legally, i gather…:p

August 9, 2011 at 2:33 pm #1001344

Emma Partnow
Member

JeremiahD, post: 5427 wrote: So lets see if we can come up with a list of “when its borderline morally ok to get digital music through non officially sanctioned means as a DJ”.

1) Old/rare tracks that are impossible to find through official digital means
2) Bootleg remixes from(typically) lesser known producers that aren’t officially sanctioned/released by the label/artist
3) Mash ups that aren’t officially sanctioned/released by the labels/artists

Anything else, or any disagreement with these 3?

As for music “dieing” due to illegal downloading it should be obvious to those in the scene that nothing could be farther from the truth. The music industry and how to have success in the industry has changed drastically over the last decade that’s for sure, as it always does when new technology arrives(from vinyl, to cassetes, to CDs, to mp3s, to whatever crazy thing is next). However the companies and artists smart enough to keep up with the changes will succeed, those that don’t will fail, just as it goes in any other industry when it comes to technological advances.

This is Absolutely True;
It is (or Has Been); the Record Companies ‘Attempting’ to Hold On to the Monopoly they have Held for the past 50 Years+ that has Caused the ‘Problems’; the Last Thing they Want is Access to Another Source to Material where ‘They’ are Not Raking In All The Cash From The Consumer; my Step-Father (from the ’60’s) Moans and Moans Every Day about ‘How It Was; and ‘How It Should Always Be That Way’; and ‘Refusing’ to Enter The Digital Age;
But I Love This Age of New Technology and New Sources Of Access To Material; it was the Same in the Late ’70’s when the Independant Labels came out of the ‘Punk Era’ and (Some) Grew to Phenomenal Success (although later being Swallowed Up by the ‘Giants’ – apart from Virgin); but the Independants of Today are bringing So Many New Artists to Our Ears; and Therefore to Our Audience; and I can seen Nothing but Progress in that;

And regarding your 3 Points Jeremiah; we have ‘Always’ had Bootlegs and they will Never Go Away; (I have a Sanctioned Nirvana Bootleg; and a Sanctioned Sex Pistols Bootleg; so if the Band wish to Benefit from Bootlegs I say Make Them Official); however; the Bootlegs we are talking about are Different of course; as the Mash-Ups are; but the ‘Basic Rule’ is that Unless we Sell Over 5,000 Copies it is ‘Not Worth’ us being Sued; so I say ‘Yes’; Don’t Be Frightened of Making a Bootleg or Mash-Up; as Who Knows we may even be Picked Up 😎

And Yes; if the Record Industry Does Not Choose to ‘Keep Up’ then ‘Let Them Fail’
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