The rock legend asked "Is there really any good reason why, just because iTunes exists in the wild west internet land of Facebook and Twitter, it can't provide some aspect of these services to the artists whose work it bleeds like a digital vampire, like a digital Northern Rock, for its enormous commission?".
People who download Townshends work without paying for it according to him "may as well come and steal my son's bike while they're at it". As ITunes have more than 75% of all legal downloads Townshend believes Apple should employ 20 talent scouts "from the dying record business" to guide new acts and offer financial and marketing support to the best. Apple have declined to comment.
Praising the late DJ John Peel for his dedication in listening to music sent to him by up-and-coming acts stating "Sometimes he played some records that no-one else would ever have played, and that would never be played on radio again" adding that "A creative person would prefer their music to be stolen and enjoyed than ignored. This is the dilemma for every creative soul: he or she would prefer to starve and be heard than to eat well and be ignored."
The lecture held at the Lowry theatre in Salford as part of the Radio Festival will become an annual event delivered by different music figures each year and is intended to be musics equivalent to the annual MacTaggart Lecture given at the Edinburgh International Television Festival each August.
News article written by Michelle
Image via Wikipedia.
