Clearly the same ends are in the works for Napster, which is why the conglomerate Bertelsmann has bought a piece. And voila, the only thing someone in Middle America can see is MI2. Ask my friends over at independent Go-Kart Records about how much attention they get from the corporate mass media. That s why independent artists, such as I, support Napster. It could be a virtual free-market mall for artists selected only by the grace of music fans and their preferences, instead of the media cartel s imposition.
Art is meant to be enjoyed by the people.
It is an expression of the culture and is most exciting when it has a collective influence. Yet now it looks as if Napster is going to descend towards the lowest common denominator in the manner of FM radio stations like Z-100. Very soon it will be in the hands of the media conglomerates and we ll all be forced to endure the caterwauling of Ted Nugent and Metallica.