ESSAYS: reviews, essays, and a place for musical evolution

July 28, 2000

Art Takes A Nap
written by Rick Yost

Okay, so here's my take on the 'Napster' thing!

The only people I hear bitching about the download piracy of their music, is the artists who have already made their millions. Yeah, okay, so a good percentage of the music buying population is getting alot of product for free. So when did it become such a bad thing for the little guy in America to get something free. We all know it's just a matter of time before they figure out how to stop it. 'Where there's money, there's a way."

I think there's a point where these, 'ARTISTS', should cease refering to themselves as artists and start calling themselves 'CONTRACTORS'.

Although I write songs, I don't consider myself a 'songwriter'. I don't write songs for other people to record and I don't craft my songs to be widely accepted commercial 'hits'. Every song I write is the result of some part of my life that has moved me to express my feelings about it. A good deal of the time, I couldn't care less if anyone else hears it or appreciates it. As long as I 'get it out'. That's why I do what I do. 'I HAVE TO!'

I am a relatively well educated, well read, somewhat intelligent individual. I could have spent the last 17 years I've been playing music, doing anything else and made more money at it. I've made more money working at a carwash than I have playing music.

But un-'fortunately', I have come to consider myself and 'Artist'. Unlike the big-boys, the true"Recording Artists", who bitch about the public getting their music for free, I actually give away my CDs. Oh sure, I'll sell them whenever I can, but of the 500 CDs I paid to have printed, I've given away 75% of them to not only people who are in the business or who can book me, but the majority went to folks who I could just tell, would listen.

Would I like to make a million bucks with my music?' 'Hell yes!!'

But the first time I try to write 'a hit song', because some record company exec tells me I have to, is the day I stop being an artist. I might be a craftsman, just like a bricklayer or a carpenter, but I'm no longer an 'ARTIST'.

Sound recording; the best and worst thing to ever happen to the art of music.

Thanks for listening,
Rick Yost
mp3.com/rickyost

(reproduced with the permission of the author)