Music on the FeelsGood

I (We) here at FeelsGood would like to discuss everyone's thoughts on how and why we post music on our site, for one to clear our conscience, and two, to start a debate on how music can be shared on the internet to the artists advantage.

When we started the Music Page, we were debated as to whether we should stick to music that has already been uploaded by the artist, or whether we should upload local music onto the page. When we got looking around on the site we noticed that the musical content, although present, was not the best representation of the diversity that is available in emerging maritime music scene.

So, we had to battle with the moral issues of taking someone else's music and posting it on our site. As a musician, I had to interally battle with this for a week or so until I felt that I had justified it not only to myself, but if I was confronted by an angry musician, which doesn't happen often. So here's our music policy, we here at FeelsGood will stand by this, and feel free to debate, we love to know how people are feeling about the things that we do.

1) We aren't making any money off the site, or any of the content on it. If we had banners for car insurance and eye wear all over FeelsGood which would give us money every time someone visited the site....I would have much more of a problem with what we are doing in many ways. Its true we hope having great local music will bring more people to FeelsGood, but we also hope that having this music up will increase awareness about the bands, so they are not just names on a posters. In this internet age, live shows are where the money is at. If someone hears a song they like on the web, chances are they will be more likely to check out the band next time they swing through their area.

2) The Music we have posted, we have either been given the CD by the artist, or we have purchased it from the artist. I do not believe in downloading local music. If you have an opportunity to buy a CD from the artist who made it, why download it? The whole backlash to buying music (IMHO) was against the record companies and record stores who were applying the huge markups. If you buy a CD at a music store, you are giving money to the store, the distribution company, the label, etc etc etc, not much of that actually goes back to the artist who put the time, sweat and tears into that album. On the other hand, if you buy a CD at 2:15am from a sweaty musician for 10 bucks, that 10 bucks goes directly into his/her pocket, which in turn goes into the gas tank or into their bellies. The way we access music has changed a lot in the last 10 years, but we still need artists to be able to put out records....support music at a local level, go to a show, buy a cd or a t shirt, and that band will live to eat another day.

3) That being said, the music we post cannot be downloaded off FeelsGood. Our mission is to get the word out about local musicians, not pull the rug out from under them. If you hear something you like, send me a message and I can probably get ahold of the artist in question. Some musicians will let you download their music, some won't. It's a very personal issue, and everyone has their own opinion which you must respect when it comes to something as personal and time consuming as making music.

I think that that's it for now, I may add more to this as I think more about it (or when its after noon) feel free to discuss/debate, as you are listening to the new music tab of course. Getting a dialog going is the best way to educate and involve the community on an issue that I feel is very important. Support local in everything you do.

Cheers, FeelsGood Music.