the todd harrison rock archive mp3s, part one the record labels' ongoing pursuit of mp3.com has brought the entire indie music scene together against a common enemy. or, seemingly so -- 'cause you can't count me on mp3.com's side. maybe i'm the only person -- or, certainly, the only musician -- in the world who feels this way, but (to borrow a line from dire straits) i hate my mp3s. sure, megalomanical multinational corporations -- like sony and that auspicious conglomerate warner/aol/emi/et al. -- have nothing but their capital in mind when they launch another suit against internet music providers. and so, in the name of artistic freedom and the need to communicate, it only seems logical that we indie musicians should protect the right to make and distribute mp3s, right? well...there's more to it than that. see, i'm afraid that "the suits" at the major labels, in their usual heartless gouging of everything pure and good, have done the unthinkable and made a valid point. for the rise in popularity of mp3s and the "personal listening experience" threatens the survival of the most powerful and exciting (not to mention profitable) art form modern music has to offer: the album. granted, long-playing records were invented as a way for labels to make more money off one or two hit singles. and this rash is still itching the pop music world, but things changed for rock in a big way when the beatles' sergeant pepper's lonely hearts club band hit the shelves in 1967 and knocked society on its collective ass. it was the first "concept" album -- meant to be listened to as a complete, intrinsic whole. many bands would follow suit -- from pink floyd to the rheostatics. rock n’ roll would never be the same. a well-crafted album is a vital and compelling accomplishment, but today its place in music is threatened. it is entirely conceivable that music collections of the future will consist of nothing more than dozens of computer files, downloaded from the internet and played though a pc's sound card, or transferred to a portable mp3 player for the morning commute. sadly, this reality may not be that far down the road. why should a hedonistic music "fan" fork out $18.99 for a cd when they can get the songs they like for free (or only "for less," if the industry gets its way) on-line? the answer (well, my response anyway): because there could never be a replacement for turning off all the lights, slipping on a pair of headphones, and listening to someone's full artistic statement, complete with stereo imaging and stream-of-consciousness liner notes. records make music tangible. and unless we do something to save the album now, the next generation of music fans will never discover its power. top :: home