One of the stories about piracy is that it’s a kind of sharing. Isn’t sharing good? Sharing creative works makes a little community, like when you’re lending out books. One person borrows from another person, then gives it to somebody else… It’s a very small community, 5 or 6 people at most. I would say that’s very different in type than the anonymous and humongous piracy sites that exist now. You have no idea who you’re getting something from and you’re not sharing it with anyone. You’re reaching into an anonymous pot and taking it. These websites also have a lot of ads. When you share books with friends, an ad doesn’t pop up saying ‘You might also like a garden hose.’ It’s not the same kind of exchange when it’s monetized that way.
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David Byrne in conversation with author Chris Ruen at LIVE last night, where they discussed the ongoing battle over digital piracy and its effect on the future creativity of music.
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David Byrne is coming to LIVE tonight to talk to Chris Ruen about Byrne’s new book, “How Music Works.” No word on whether his rainbow-colored stomp box collection will also be in attendance.
More tickets are now available for tomorrow evening’s event with David Byrne & Chris Ruen on Music & Copyright in the Digital Era.
Learn more & get tickets here…
“I’ve played the Disney Hall here and Carnegie Hall and places like that. And it’s been very exciting. But I also noticed that sometimes the music that I had written, or was writing at the time, didn’t sound all that great in some of those halls. We managed, but sometimes those halls didn’t seem exactly suited to the music I was making or had made. So I asked myself: Do I write stuff for specific rooms? Do I have a place, a venue, in mind when I write? Is that a kind of model for creativity? Do we all make things with a venue, a context, in mind?”
—David Byrne’s 2010 TED Talk
I listen to music only at very specific times. When I go out to hear it live, most obviously. When I’m cooking or doing the dishes I put on music, and sometimes other people are present. When I’m jogging or cycling to and from work down New York’s West Side Highway bike path, or if I’m in a rented car on the rare occasions I have to drive somewhere, I listen alone. And when I’m writing and recording music, I listen to what I’m working on. But that’s it.
I find music somewhat intrusive in restaurants or bars. Maybe due to my involvement with it, I feel I have to either listen intently or tune it out. Mostly I tune it out; I often don’t even notice if a Talking Heads song is playing in most public places. Sadly, most music then becomes (for me) an annoying sonic layer that just adds to the background noise.
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In an excerpt from his new book, How Music Works, David Byrne explains why sometimes he prefers hearing nothing. Read more from How Music Works here.
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A Q&A with David Byrne about the future of music and his new book, How Music Works, which landed on the bookshelves today.
News for David Byrne via Brooklyn Vegan with performance dates for his new album with St. Vincent, Love This Giant, and book tour dates for his new book, including an appearance at yours truly!
“In related news, David Byrne has a new book, How Music Works, and he’ll be doing some book readings/discussions in various cities, including one in NYC on December 5 at the New York Public Library. Tickets for that event go on sale Friday, September 7 at noon. More details can be found at NYPL’s website.”
But don’t forget that Friends of the NYPL can get tickets NOW. Are you our Friend yet?
