Recording Industry in Even Deeper Shit Than We Thought

greggh · Post by **greggh** » Tue Nov 27, 2007 11:18 am

NYMag.com has an interesting article about Universal Music CEO Doug Morris

http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/20 ... orris.html

In the December issue of Wired, Seth Mnookin sits down with Universal Music Group CEO/supervillain Doug Morris for a pretty excellent profile (which is, tragically, not yet online). In it, Mnookin paints the 68-year old Morris as a crotchety executive who's upset that he can't focus more on simple product and artist development because he's too busy worrying about iPods, MP3s, and his company's digital strategy (which was never really supposed to be part of his job description when he took the gig in 1995). In a way, he almost comes off as cute, like if your grandfather were accidentally hired to run Google (at one point, Morris hilariously compares his embattled industry to a character in "Li'l Abner," a comic strip that stopped running in 1977).

When Morris is asked why the music business didn't work harder, in the early days of file-sharing, to build its own (legal) online presence, there's this exchange:

"There's no one in the record industry that's a technologist," Morris explains. "That's a misconception writers make all the time, that the record industry missed this. They didn't. They just didn't know what to do. It's like if you were suddenly asked to operate on your dog to remove his kidney. What would you do?"

Personally, I would hire a vet. But to Morris, even that wasn't an option. "We didn't know who to hire," he says, becoming more agitated. "I wouldn't be able to recognize a good technology person — anyone with a good bullshit story would have gotten past me."

Edit: Here's the full 4 page Wired interview...

http://www.wired.com/entertainment/musi ... /mf_morris

snarkout · Post by **snarkout** » Tue Nov 27, 2007 12:23 pm

"I wouldn't be able to recognize a good technology person — anyone with a good bullshit story would have gotten past me."

Refreshing honesty, if nothing else. The world is full of dillholes who sell themselves as much, much more than they are.

Post by **dann** » Tue Nov 27, 2007 1:00 pm

I have not read the entire article, so maybe I am off base here, but I call bullshit. That's the most moronic excuse I have ever heard and if I was running a business and the gut I put in charge said this to me I'd fire his ass right on the spot.

That's like saying back in the day I was told that I could make tons more money selling through a mail order catalog. I knew nothiing about the mail system and did not know who to hire so I figured I would just throw my hands in the air and bury my head in the sand.

Or maybe it's like saying my car won't run and because I am not automotively inclined I am not sure who to trust or what mechanic to take it too so I'm just going to leave it on the side of the road here and walk home. Then I will bitch when someone comes along and tows it. Honestly.

Ignorance is no excuse.

What the hell.

allix · Post by **allix** » Tue Nov 27, 2007 3:13 pm

The way we listen to music has changed....
As everyone knows the record industry did not create music, and for some reason they think music cannot last without them..
Mozart is regarded one of the best composers of the 18th century, yet he died without a penny to his name.

Music use to be very community based. I personally think we may be going back to this model but more on a global scale, since the internet in any form has made it really easy for someones music to be heard anywere.

The money too be made is through touring and the merchandise that is sold there.

If you take a look at stand up comedians, they make their money through live performances.

Music is a social event, creating it as a commodity will only last so long.