Dear suzannevega.com,

I have enjoyed Ms. Vega's music since her debut album was released in the uk (thanks to an older brother whose music taste essentially became mine). I have purchased all of her albums, a fair few singles and seen her in concert quite a number of times. I have really, genuinely, enjoyed her songs and performances. Ms. Vega kindly signed a copy of her latest cd (the 3rd copy of "Beauty and Crime" that I own ) when I saw her in concert in Japan about a month ago.

Unfortunately, feel that I can no longer purchase music released by members of the RIAA. I have read too many stories (in reliable, business-oriented sources, e.g. Business Weekly and The Economist. Not lefty, hippy "everything should be free, man" weekly) about its utterly disgraceful behaviour, and frankly colossal stupidity. (suing your _own_ customers???). I think musicians have a great deal to be concerned about in the future of music distribution and there is certainly a debate to be had. But what musicians like Ms Vega need to consider is that large numbers of people like myself will now stop purchasing CDs from these organisations.

I'm sure that there is a trade off between small record labels and large, along the lines of control over your music and influence over your own decisions versus large marketing budgets and connections to media. Please factor in the losses from your association with such unpleasant businesses.

Further info:

http://www.businessweek.com/print/magazine/content/08_18/b4082042959954.htm

http://www.riaaradar.com/ 

I remain a fan, and want to say that your songs were a notable influence on me when I was younger- for this I thank you.

But I won't be buying a cd for a while,

(Nor will I illegally download, I will make do with your already released albums) 

David
 

David --

While I understand your antipathy toward the RIAA cartel, its habit of suing welfare mothers, kids, 80-year-olds and homeless people, and its otherwise thuggish behavior toward listeners and independent musicians (you didn't even get into the way it created SoundExchange to collect Internet-radio royalties on behalf of all musicians, including those from non-RIAA labels, but then keeps the money if it "can't find" the artists), I have to ask --

You signed up for Suzanne's message boards today just so you could announce you're not buying her music?

This sounds a little like an example of the Undertow verb "to blumit" in action: "To publicly announce a boycott of an artist whom one shows no evidence of having supported in the past."  

Anyway, thanks for stopping by.