Tribe of Noise, worldwide community of music (II)

This is the second and the last part of the post about the interview to Hessel van Oorschot (here the interview in spanish), co-funder of Tribe of Noise (ToN). As I have pointed out in the first part, I have written an index of the whole interview, so you can find faster the most interesting answers for you:

Part (I)
0. Question: micropayments.
1. Question: history of ToN and how to find companies interested in the project.
2. Question: entertainment industry is obsolete.
3. Question: viability of Copyleft licenses as new business model.
4. Question: the future of P2P networks.

Part (II)
5. Question: massive lack of content.
6. Question: advantages of the business model based on Copyleft licenses.
7. Question: the new rol of the users.

5. Q: In your web site is written, among other things: “a massive lack of content” (in relation how you saw the market context in 2006). In your opinion, which factors are responsible for this impoverishment?

A: It's still difficult to find content you can use 100% legal for commercial purposes. Some factors:
a) Huge amount of content uploaded every second (without being tagged) that you can't use and therefor make search difficult.

b) Lack of technology to index music files, images and video's automated (try to find software / algorithm that can index an audio file - bpm, mood, genre, vocal, instruments etc).

c) Meta data about the rights holder of the content (sure most social networks like YouTube will explain all the basic rules in their ToS and user agreement but many,many people never read them).

Q. 6: Nowadays companies need direct or indirectly music (publicity, cine, TV, video games, etc.), which advantages can obtain them from this business model based on Copyleft licenses?

A: Some advantages:

a) Having Ready to Share Music (content) means the files are pre-cleared. Normally it takes weeks to months to negotiate a deal with labels and rights holders.

b) Depending on the CC license it means you can use the content in business pitches without spending large sums of money. If the customer likes the content and agrees with the CC license you are ready to roll out when you win the pitch.

c) Normally you obtain a license for a specific type of project (amount of views or copies, geographic area, media carrier, specified time of airplay, etc.) If your production becomes successful and you want to expand the campaign you have to negotiate again with the rights holder. With most CC deals it doesn't matter if you make 1 copy or 1 billion copies, if you broadcast local, national or international for a day, a month or 10 years etc.

Q. 7: There are certain contradictory opinions, for example as Gene Simmons said (bassist group Kiss), where he affirmed that  “the record industry is dead [...] the fans have done this. They've decided to download and file share” (AOL's article June 2008). But it has appeared cases like Nine Inch Nails (“the best selling MP3 album of 2008” in an important internet MP3 store) or the famous “In Rainbows” of Radiohead, where massive payment downloads were carried out although the songs could be downloaded for free as well. As far as I' m concerned, I dare to think that it has happened because now the people have more possibilities to choose and some time ago they haven't got this freedom. What is in your opinion the role of today's users in the world music?

A: In the case of NIN, their success at the moment starts with having a fan base (Youtube). If you offer your fans value for money, a reason to buy, (signed album, limited versions, additional artwork, backstage tickets etc.) it will work now and in the future. By the way, last time I visited the US I bought a children's tooth brush with music on it from...KISS?!?, so I am not sure if Gene Simmons understands who their fan base is (4 year olds ???)

But I also believe...that most money is made not with selling cd's, mp3's or live performances but with B2B deals (licensing, publishing, sync rights etc.) For most musicians performing in front of their fans is the greatest thing on earth so they should keep doing this. But I hope they start thinking about all the other options to make money: their music in advertisements, video games, music related hardware (mp3 players, mobile phones), TV shows, films, online media productions... even powerpoint presentations, business give aways, instore music programs etc. Combining their ideal creative expression in front of their audience with some serious business opportunities.

Many big artists who made it to the top didn't make it solely on their talent, but by working as hard as they can with their team to make a career / build a brand. Up and running at 5 AM to be in a children's tv program at 7 AM day in day out can be part of building a brand (Spice Girls) but isn't something most musicians fancy ;-) A good example at this moment of someone working very hard on her brand is Imogen Heap. I like what she is doing.