Wednesday, December 06, 2006

An apology to Claire Hamill

Claire just emailed me to say that she was angry with me for posting her albums. I apologise for doing this. At the time I didn't realise that they were available from her Web site at http://www.clairehamill.co.uk. When I did realise that, a few hours later, I deleted the files and so the Rapidshare links don't work.

Sorry Claire.

19 Comments:

Blogger Emil Thompson said...

Well you know something, I have discovered alot of great music that I had no idea existed purely because of blogs like this and I think Claire Hamil might do well to consider this fact. Personally I have gone and bought several albums based on blog discoveries...was even considering one of yours Claire. Keep On Rockin !

11:05 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Claire, just think how much goodwill you'd have caused, and how many resulting album sales you'd otherwise have not got, if you'd been cool about this. As in not angry?
Nobody's here to rip you off, that's for sure. And now we know where to get your albums so you get some cash in your pocket, so this blog has helped you, right?

4:47 am  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Judee Sill is much better.
Paul Nicol

2:50 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You people have no right to be bitches towards Claire Hamill or to lecture her over her reaction to her music being found for free when it's still for sale.
Yes it's good exposure, but no, her 'attitude' about it isn't going to change that. If you're saying that now you won't buy a Claire Hamill disc because she dared be upset that it was posted for free, like hell you were ever planning to buy her music anyway.
The way some of you act you just want musicians to serve up music for free, at their expense, and not get upset when you don't pay them for helping yourself.
I like the policy here - if it's available, don't put it up. If you have a problem with that there's something seriously wrong with you.

8:19 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

ya know...
- she probably didn't know those links were dead, which would explain her anger
- yer probably doing her no favors (even if you're trying to) by announcing to the world she wrote to complain

8:27 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

easiest thing is always to pull the entire blogpage, rather than just the files - that way, its clearly gone.

3:37 pm  
Blogger Emil Thompson said...

Oh lord the can is open and the worms are escaping...

Just for a bit of fun check this out :
http://www.ram.org/ramblings/philosophy/fmp.html#why_must_we

It all depends where you are coming from don't it?

best
rx

8:33 am  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

>It all depends where you are coming from don't it?

That would depend on what level of self-deception you are willing to sink. It might or might not be 'good exposure,' but no one has given their permission, and it's commercially available. And few of the artists on these blogs got rich on music. Many are scraping by.

It's much simpler than you make it. It cost time, energy and money to make these discs. If the artist is upset that you've taken it for free without their permission, you shouldn't pretend this is *their* problem. Does it make you uncomfortable to be called out for taking music when you can easily buy it? Maybe that's the real issue.

You say or read what you want to make you feel better about that but the plain fact is the music has not been paid for and you just might get an earfull of shit once in awhile for it, and rightly so. Take it. Don't whine about it while linking to philosophical essays.

4:24 am  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

no one here is saying you shouldn't pay for music, but I agree, there are other valid models for re-numeration out there.

Surely its reasonable to get to hear the music before you buy it, especially if it's by someone you've never heard or heard of before?

11:59 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I agree with Paul Nicol. Sorry to say but Judee Sill is much much much better than Claire Hamill.
Please post some Judee Sill.
Thanks.


John Kinney

5:19 am  
Blogger Witchseason said...

Oh, so now I shouldn't post something because someone else's music is better, in your opinion?

B*llocks.

Both Judee Sill's albums are available from Amazon & elsewhere, go buy them.

7:39 am  
Blogger Emil Thompson said...

I need to set the record straight :

If I see an album on a blog that looks interesting I will download it and listen to it, I feel no guilt about doing this.

If I don't like it, it goes straight
into the trash.

If I do like it, my next move is to go to amazon and see what else is out there by that artist, this is when I usually buy a cd or 2, mainly because I want the sound quality of a cd and I also want the artwork and sleevenotes.
I am more than happy to pay for this.

I have discovered and bought wonderful albums by both Judee Sill, Bill Fay, and others whom I would never have heard or heard of if it wasn't for blogs like this one.

The economic model for the sale and distribution of music is being forced to change due to the web and advances in music technology. If you want to cling to the traditional model in the face of this growing wave that's up to you.

If you think I am going to go and check to see if an album on here is already commercially available before I download or hear it, then you are wrong.

There are now plenty of record companies out there who allow punters to listen to entire albums before they decide wether or not to buy, they also have pricing models that allow paying as much or as little as you think it's worth. The artist does not get ripped off.

I am a musician and composer myself and would rather peole hear my music for free than not at all, If they want to give me a donation for my work then that's an added bonus, but I respect the wishes of other musicians not to follow this route.

My concience is clear on this matter, and sorry 'anon' but if you choose to think I am a self deluded music thief, then that is up to you.

Please let us not propogate a culture of blame and negativity. You'll probably accuse me of starting it tho..oh well.

Peace and best wishes
rx

check out www.magnatune.com if you want an example.

9:21 am  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I want payed to listen to Claire Hamill albums, my time is very valuable you know.

6:49 am  
Blogger Witchseason said...

Not quite sure how to respond to that - does "I want payed" mean "I want to pay" or "I won't pay"? Either way I won't take up any more of your valuable time.

7:36 am  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I think it means anon won't listen to Claire Hamill unless someone pays him to do it.

It's a hell of a job listening to music, but someones got to do it...:)

ps. any new posts in the pipeline ? this ones getting dusty.

9:34 am  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

basically, my vision for media distribution on the net will be this:

all media will be housed for downloading

there will be a negotiated $/mgb between the isp, labels & artists

there will no longer be anything out of print.

as you download, your isp will track your downloading - if the bit-torrent sites can do it why not google - and the fees they collect from you would be appropriatley disributed.

since this service eliminates the cost of production, distrubtion, storage - as well as retail outlets - the rate will be have to be quite low but the volume will be so high that few will be complaining

11:26 am  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Your "model" most certainly DOES NOT eliminate the "cost of production."
Nor of distribution. Nor of storage.
What it does eliminate is the manufacture of the CD package. While that may or may not be environmentally friendly, that's the only "advantage." At the same time, you would be eliminating the income-security of music industry factory workers. It's a two-edged sword.
"Production" involves arranging session and studio time, advance monies for the artist and engineers, promotion, etc., etc. Now the music must be distributed via various e-tailers, instead of moving CD's to record shoppes. Storage is now on multiple servers, but not eliminated, and said storage requires the cost of IT maintenance, etc.

By the way, Judee Sill made some pleasant, non-essential music before her drug-induced demise.
But she is in no way comparable to Ms. Hamill, an artist of critical acclaim and much artistic accomplishment.

Thanks for your blog page, Witchseason!

4:08 am  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Well, now I feel bad. I got all excited over the lp version of One House Left Standing being posted here. Yes, you can buy cds directly from Claire, I was quoted $30.00 for One House....I have the cds, wanted lp cause it has a warmer sound and this album has some sligtly shrill sounds to it on cd. Does Amazon have the lp versions?

9:52 pm  
Blogger Emil Thompson said...

I see Claire Hamill now gives her music away free anyway..I guess that's this thread closed.

http://www.clairehamill.co.uk/music.html

well done Claire and thank you!

10:24 am  

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