A group of Canadian musicians has got together to voice their opposition to the copyright controls that they say have been imposed upon them and their fans by large multi-national recording companies.
The musicians, with Barenaked Ladies, Avril Lavigne and Sarah McLachlan amongst their more famous names, are calling on their government to support them in their desire to clear up some of the issues around the copyright of their music. They say,
Until now, a group of multinational record labels has done most of the talking about what Canadian artists need out of copyright. Record companies and music publishers are not our enemies, but let’s be clear: lobbyists for major labels are looking out for their shareholders, and seldom speak for Canadian artists. Legislative proposals that would facilitate lawsuits against our fans or increase the labels’ control over the enjoyment of music are made not in our names, but on behalf of the labels’ foreign parent companies.
The artists are working with three guiding principles:
1. Suing Our Fans is Destructive and Hypocritical
2. Digital Locks are Risky and Counterproductive
3. Cultural Policy Should Support Actual Canadian Artists
Watch this space.
I always did like Sarah McLachlan.
Link: Boing Boing