Paul McCartney

[DudeAsInCool]

Mindlng his Ps and Qs by not showing his non-Starbucks coffee cup, Brian at Stereogum recently interiewed Sir Paul about his new album, changing technologies and the demise of the music business:

STEREOGUM: Recently a DJ in Chicago got a hold of the new White Stripes album prior to its release and played the entire thing on the air. Jack White, one half of the band, called the DJ up and, basically, let her have it. What are your thoughts on leaks and people ripping music to the web, etc?

PM: That's a pity. It is a pity just because these guys do it for a living. Artists, that's how they make the money. I don't think anyone would enjoy going into the paymaster at the end of the week and saying, "Can I have my wages," and he says, "No, sorry, some other guy just came in and had them. He just copied them and you're not getting paid this week.' Which is sorta what it's like. There was some young girl quite a few years ago now, when it first started happening with Napster, and it was quite a contentious idea, she said -- a young Italian girl -- she said, "I pick up all my music free off the Internet." I said, "That's very nice for you, but the artist who made it isn't getting paid." I said, "How do you feel, you go into your TV station the end of the week and don't get paid..." Let's say the artist has a family, a new baby or something ... you need some dough, you know. So I think that's a pity. I like now the fact that people are getting more pay.

So it is unfortunate, but it's a modern phenomenon you can't really escape. People can just pick it up. I was just talking on the way down here in the car about music biz and why it's down and we just figure because you can get so much of it free. You don't actually have to go and buy a CD anymore. The only people I feel sorry for are the new artists who might be relying on that as a good way to earn a living. So it's a pity if they don't get paid. But other than that, obviously it's nice for the people. [Laughs] You don't have to pay. You get a free ride. That's a nice thing. [Laughs] Everyone loves a freebie.

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