Wow. I take back any and all bad things I may have said about Courtney Love. Love's speech explaining how the music industry works was dead on the money. The "plantation owner" and "sharecropper" analogy is perfect. I've tried explaining to people how the music industry works, using examples and numbers similar to hers, but few people ever believe me when I tell them that a recording artist with a platinum-selling CD often makes less money than the receptionist for their record label. Yes, the MP3/Napster controversy is complicated, and as a songwriter and performer I'm in favor of people being properly compensated for their work. But any technology which may bring about the eventual destruction of the music industry as we know it should be applauded, and welcomed with open arms. Burn down the plantation, and set the sharecroppers free!

-- Bryan Eldridge Hurst

I have never been much of a Hole fan or a Courtney Love fan for that matter, in fact, up until reading her rant I kind of thought of her as Nirvana's version of Yoko Ono. After reading her post I can't help but feel that she has made a fan of me for life. I have had several friends here in my hometown that went through the "signed by a major label" thing. Of the three of them, one still owes a record but has no money to make it; one had to declare bankruptcy, lost his house and his wife in the process and now doesn't even own the band's name, and the other killed herself.

-- John Pope

After having experienced a similar situation with my fiancée, who signed a $200,000 recording deal and then wound up with only $6,500 in his pocket after all the taxes, manager fees, lawyer bills, promotions people, etc. were paid, I have never read the breakdown of a record "contract" so clearly. Ours was an eye-opening experience. Luckily, the band was recently released from their "sharecropping" duties and are now seeking independent labels and exploring digital distribution channels. In all, thank you Salon for printing the truth, and thank you Courtney for having the balls to stand up to these industry schmucks. I am behind you 100 percent.

-- Lisa Gill

I've purposely not taken advantage of what Napster has to offer because of the copyright infringement issues. However, after reading Courtney's article, to hell with the record companies! If the artists aren't truly getting paid by the major labels, maybe Napster is just what is needed to change the current paradigm. I would rather pay a "per song" fee directly to the artist, should Napster ever adopt this model. I plan to download and use Napster to hasten the changes needed for the benefit of the recording artist.

-- John Fears

If Allen Ginsberg had been a rock musician he might have written this instead of "Howl." Brava, Courtney! As an expert on intellectual property, an author, editor and publisher and now an inventor of IP protection schemes for the independent marketing of digital products of all kinds, I have NEVER seen such a fine wrap-up written by anyone. The law professors, entertainment shysters, industry rip-off artists and digerati continually miss the point. Information doesn't need new regulatory structures to be prevented from becoming free by the natural action of the Internet. It needs a better marketing structure to reach its real market. With a billion on-ramps, who has to put up with the corrupt accounting practices of current film and music distribution? The problem will be promotion and exposure, and the rest can be hired out. There are already superb, secure means for selling market-driven digital packets in cyberspace distribution from firms like InterTrust and Internet Commerce Corporation that can open up the market for digital properties to billions who could never have been reached through the present system anyway. As the broadband Internet develops the kind of interfaces that facilitate its natural narrowcast "pull," rather than old-fashioned broadcast "push" media, and the average user finally feels comfortable enough to do without the idiotic training wheels of AOL-dom, the creative artist should have access to the largest audience in history. I can't wait for the success of the Napsters to come and the explosion of talent that will be distributed through it.

-- Thomas H. Lipscomb
Chairman, The Center for the Digital Future

Thank you, Courtney Love. I BOUGHT your music in the past and will continue to do so. If I should learn one day that you will get to keep your tips if I do business directly with you, I would happily give you the $17 on your site. I am currently the Director of Content for a large Web site. I am in search of a 12-step program to help me regain my soul.

-- Mitch Kehn

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