Emily Richards: News

At last, Emily is no longer President of MP3tunes...and is now focusing on recording her new album. Absorbed in high-tech geekland, she had little time to focus on her art. Alas, this album has been steeping for over four years and is certain to be her best. The working title is 'Open' although that is likely to change. Rough mixes of new songs will be available at tunetrack.net for here on the website soon....

Come see Emily and 2012AM at EarthDance on Saturday Sept 13 from 1 to 2pm in Balboa Park! Featuring DJ Quenique, Jason Brock, Mark Wooton, Alex Goodwin and Derek Ford.

Emily and 2012AM perform Sunday June 29 at the Evolution Lounge, at 6p. Visit www.evolutionlounge.net for more information.

I am the President of MP3tunes -- home of the online Music Locker. The concept of digital ownership is very important to me as a music fan, a musician, and now as a business owner in the digital age.

EMI got my hopes up for a while -- making progressive moves like selling their catalog in MP3 with iTunes Plus tracks. And there was a time when I thought we were going to actually arrive at a business deal with them that would have been great for artists, labels and internet companies like ours.

I am naive. I believe people will see beyond this American short-sightedness that has our economy in a tailspin, and make intelligent decisions. It would be intelligent for the record companies to embrace the digital age -- and innovate instead of litigate!

It seems putting up cheap tollgates along the Mexican/American border would be a much better use of resources than building an expensive fence that can be dug under, climbed over or circumvented in some other way.

If I can't store my music collection (that I've purchased numerous times -- with each format shift!) on some hard drives in a server room owned and operated by someone else, with the same protection I have for my financial accounts, well, Houston, we have a problem.

Here is an email that Michael Robertson sent to the MP3tunes user base recently...


"Let me start by saying that as the CEO of MP3tunes I appreciate all your support over the last few years. Our customer's suggestions and patience have helped us build the Locker system we have today. We just launched AutoSync -- making the management of your music collection easier than ever.

As you may be aware, the major record label EMI has sued MP3tunes, claiming our service is illegal. You can read about the case here. Much is at stake -- if you don't have the right to store your own music online then you won't have the right to store ebooks, videos and other digital products as well. The notion of ownership in the 21st century will evaporate. The idea of ownership is important to me and I want to make sure I have that right and my kids do too.

I would like to ask for your assistance in our battle for personal music ownership. We need your help because we are a small, 15-person company battling an international giant. They would like to make us spend all of our money paying legal bills. Here's what you can do to help:

1) Please upgrade to a Premium account. This week MP3tunes is launching 3 service levels. I hope you will consider signing up for one of the paid levels. This will not only help us pay for the costs of our service (machines, storage and bandwidth) but a portion will go to cover our legal costs in our case with EMI.

2) If you have a chance to talk publicly about our cause on your blog, with friends, reporters or even EMI personnel please do so. MP3tunes is working hard to design a secure personal music service. We don't promote sharing of music in any manner. We want people to legally acquire their music. But once they do, we think it's important that you be able to use it how you want for your personal use. The AmazonMP3 store says: "You may copy, store, transfer and burn the Digital Content only for your personal, non-commercial, entertainment use." and this is what MP3tunes allows you to do.

You have my commitment that I'll continually battle for your right to store your music online and listen to it anywhere on any device. I hope you'll consider helping MP3tunes in our battle. Thanks.

-- MR"


So I've decided to give away all of the songs from my latest 7 albums on this website for FREE for the next 2 weeks and hope they all end up on Sideload.com!

Enjoy my creations -- mash them up, share them with friends and if you decide, buy a CD from CDBaby or a download from iTunes -- or make a donation to my nonprofit -- awakecommunity.com.

Thanks for your support!

~Emily

Click the pix to listen!

I've been greatly discouraged by the state of the nation, particularly the corruption of our government that is contributing to our economic decline and unwarranted world policing.

Ron Paul states he will bring our troops home. This is by far the best way to protect our country. The illusion of 'staying to finish the job' is just brainwashing propaganda. Sure, keep killing and maiming people and blowing up buildings and roads - and that will somehow bring peace? Hello!?! Are we really that illogical?

Ron Paul believes in upholding the Constitution. Novel idea. Our Founding Fathers took great care to create Checks and Balances for times like these -- when ultimate power corrupts ultimately. Of course, when the Executive Branch usurps and overturns key constitutional checks and balances, well, goodbye democracy (have we really ever said hello?). Ron Paul is the only candidate letting the people know we are in trouble.

Goodbye IRS! As a CPA, I realize many of my colleagues will need to reinvent their careers should this miracle occur. I can only pray we get this opportunity! If we actually stop giving a third of all our wages (did you know this is actually unconstitutional?) to the big centralized federal government, the politicians can't subsidize wars, oil companies, and mono-cropping. Don't let them fool you into thinking the government should take care of you (remember Hurricane Katrina?) -- trust me, we're much better off keeping our taxpayer money and letting local nonprofits and honest people help each other with all of the issues we face. During the San Diego fires, we took care of each other, and quite well at that.

I don't agree with all of Ron Paul's stances....but it is imperative we restore the Constitution, bring our troops home from around the world and stop funding the corrupt politicians. If we can fix these key items, then perhaps we can begin to worry about the issues they are distracting everyone with in the media.

I am proudly supporting Ron Paul for President and hope you will consider doing the same. Visit www.ronpaul2008.com.

Peace,

~Emily

EMI is suing my company, MP3tunes. Some things never change.

My years as a recording artist in L.A. taught me much about the music biz - the men in suits constantly pushing for the mass-marketable while you hold desperately to your art. "Show more skin...stop being political...write a love song with a pop hook...lose weight." These nice fellas dangle money, contracts and cheering crowds kindly in your face. They pay you mechanical and performance royalties to demonstrate your 'need' for their power and infrastructure. And the term 'sell-out' lurks as a warning among all true artists.

MP3.com came along and revolutionized music via technology (thank you my beloved geeks!). Musicians and music fans didn't need major labels for distribution, record sales, promotion or tours. The labels panicked and sued MP3.com into oblivion. Michael Robertson gathered his remaining assets and regrouped. Musicians lost their new home.

The record industry blundered and diluted the creation of the digital music age by shutting down the original MP3.com and crippling the digital music experience with major-label marketing fluff and proprietary file formats with DRM.

Here we are seven years later -- an entire octave on the digital musical scale has been played and we're back to the root note (the 'Do'). Will the major labels evolve or just recur in their same mistakes?

CD sales have fallen drastically. iTunes and other 'i' products leave us hanging in a proprietary web. MySpace is a technically weak and inferior place for rising musicians to develop and market themselves. Major labels sell bubblegum singles, Emo and teenbeat music that attracts fleeting fans -- that only push the next quarter's earnings. And young folks think music should all be free.

Where now oh mighty record labels? Shall we cower to you with your threats and monetary muscle while your productivity and profitability plummet? Do you still believe your 'business' is more valuable than the artists' backs upon whom you built your business? Will you now perpetuate your thievery and steal from the techies too?

I do believe there is a seed of goodness in all people. I saw it in the faces of the 'men in suits' that paid our company a visit last week.

No one wants to give up power, money or control. But could you give it up to save your own business (without the need to extort, steal and bully others)?

Ayn Rand wrote, "Money is not the tool of the moochers, who claim your product by tears, or of the looters, who take it from you by force. Money is made possible only by men who produce."

I challenge the record labels to return to producing something valuable, working in true partnership with others -- then they just might find themselves honestly successful once more.

~Em

DECLARE INDEPENDENCE!

Post your favorite line from the Declaration of Independence at the Peacepod MySpace Page. Featuring: Wikipedia, Bjork, Landau, Ever-G, Chris Cornell covering Bob Marley & Neil Young

Click the pix to hear the single 'Biodiesel Willie' (premiered on Bill Mack's XM Radio Show at the NBB Conference). See video from the concert performed by Emily & 2012AM here!

Visit Emily's MySpace page and leave an artistic message for Peace.

Select 'Free Demo' to listen. Visit MP3tunes to get your own free music locker!

Emily performed for the U.S. Congressional Stop DUI Caucus, Arts Caucus & Meth Caucus inside the Cannon Office Building...an amazing event!

See footage from rockin' Biodiesel Concert Click here for Live Video

Hear audio from Emily's interview regarding biodiesel. Interview Audio

Post a comment at Emily's MySpace page

Emily Richards is now hosting a weekly Sunday podcast via the PeacePod. The Peacepod is a daily podcast produced by Jason Brock in association with the Peace Alliance. See www.dopcampaign.org for more information.

Emily Richards will perform at 9/11 Memorial for the U.S. Congress and victims of 9/11. This event is associated with the campaign for a Department of Peace. Emily believes peace on a global level may be achieved when it is reached in ourselves, our schools, our cities, and our own country.

MP3.com founder, Michael Robertson, named Emily Richards President of his new music venture, MP3tunes. MP3tunes is MP3.com meets iTunes. It will be the new home for independent music! See www.mp3tunes.com.

Via AWAKE Community, Emily's been touring the country for the past year. Emily's playing concerts & speaking at universities, high schools and businesses, about music, the arts and the power of progress through creativity. Email Carol to invite Emily to your school or business.