Airwave quits making trance

[SurrealDreams]

Airwave, the big prolific trance guy who made the UNITE! (Airwave remix) on Cyber Trance is thinking of quitting making music largely because of illegal mp3 on the net! If you're a fan (or not!), go to the http://www.john00fleming.com message board and please post a petition there to help him to stay. Thank you!

This is scary, I hope a case like this won't happen to Ayu!

From the message board there -

Reading Stipsy's earlier post. Yes it is true that my friend Laurent (Airwave/ L-vee + many other guises) is thinking about chucking it all in. He's fed up with the current climate of the dance music world. Downloading music is not only crippling underground dance labels but now it's starting to affect the producers. It's heartbreaking to see your hard work and toil be given away for free on the internet. His last album was available for download weeks before it was for sale in the shops??? Like us, he has to make a living, pay bills etc. It also costs a lot of money to keep the studio up to date as technology moves on. How can you do this with your income crippled by free files sharing???
I believe that there will be an answer to this problem as I am always forward thinking. I'm trying to make Laurent see this. He is one of the most influential Trance producers currently around. He is a true genius. We would be lost with out him.


Please sign this petition below to show what support he has from his loyal fans. This will make him realise that he has many friends and fans that will support him. This maybe be the support that he needs for him to see the light. (www.john00fleming.com message board)

(Cut and paste this and post it on as many message boards as you can and get people to visit this website sign this petition.)

John

[Unimatrix Prime™]

aww man... stuff from Airwave's always nice, so it'd be sad that he's decided to call it quits cuz of this. I'm sure that more people DL stuff from other artists, so and not everyone DLs stuff without buying, so if anything, it could at times help out in sales.

[ChineseWarrior]

bah!!!airwave is not bad! too bad hehe time to help out

[angela]

hMmmmmm..... sad.... but it's okay... there are many other more remixers..... ^-^

[fantaisie.sign]

O.O That's his reason for quitting trance? I could see if it was a major reason, yet still. . . It seems like everyone is blaming things on mp3 file swapping whenever they can't find anything else to blame it on. I hope that he'll still stay around since I enjoy his remixes and know that others definately do as well.

[Piccolo]

UNITE! Airwave remix rocked. I sure hope he stays. Even though I download, I also bought that CD.

[Takke]

what? because the Unite (airwave) song rocked! i love the song...to bad that they have to quit

Stingy man. That's a strange reason to quit doing something you love. Mp3 downloads is now a part of life. It's not going to stop just because of one person quitting.

[nmskalmn]

I think it is a good idea to quit if he can't earn a living because of piracy.

You guys would be more sympathetic if it was your paycheck that was being cut.

[ImpactBreaker]

I feel sorry for him. i won't stop downloading mp3s cause I wouldn't know him, and i would never buy anything if there weren't mp3s anyway. If I had the money it would be different though. Plus If people are to blame mp3s for these matters I'm sure Ayu would have even less sales than she has now if it weren't for mp3. I'm quite sure there were other reasons other than just the "mp3s" matter behind this.....His sales might have been down, for example because of the lack of publicity, something that's the right opposite of mp3s....The only song I knew from him was this UNITE! mix.....
I ask yet another question: Why does these artists allow that the companies they work under overcharge their buyers? They don't even receive all that money, still the companies charge too much for a CD. If the artists are aware of such problems they should force the companies they work under to make fairly reasonable prices....i'm sure waaaaay more people would buy and they would get even more money if these cds were cheaper.

[chsf]

awwwwwwww, no more L-Vee or Airwave or Velvet Girl or Bodyshock

I can see why, but it's partially the European & UK record companies fault because:
1. UK companies only look for one hit wonders dancewise
2. few companies up here bothers releasing serious dance stuff and even if it gets released it's impossible to get hold off because the distributors won't stock it

so I try to get as much as possible if I go to a major city or abroad

it's tough, I only wish the people who has access to music would support the artists
I know I would have.
And I do with the few records I can buy at the local records stores but as long as I'm not a die hard blues/metal/country fan that doesn't help me much...

[fantaisie.sign]

Originally posted by nmskalmn
I think it is a good idea to quit if he can't earn a living because of piracy.

You guys would be more sympathetic if it was your paycheck that was being cut.

How can you be sure that it's piracy? There's no way to see exactly who is downloading his files and how many files they get. Therefore, having piracy as the only reason to quit is a silly reason. If people stopped buying his CDs then maybe it's because they don't like his material as much as they used to. It happens.

[chsf]

besides his record company/-ies should release his stuff on CDs as well

If it wasn't for Mp3s, I never would have found Ayu or ever have bought any of her stuff. Mp3s are good for sampling.

[SurrealDreams]

Here is what Airwave said in his reply in the petition of that http://www.john00fleming.com message board:

Dear friends,
I'm speechless when it comes to reading all those posts. I never expected so much support from you all. I barely know most people signing this petition, and from the bottom of my heart, I want to thank everyone for doing so.

John, I never expected someone like you would take the time and the risk to post a petition about me. Thanks for reminding me I am part of a respectful and friendly community that knows rules and boundaries.

I took the two last days to think about the situation.

Lemme just remind you some facts.

All artists putting out music expect to sell records. It's not all about money, it's much more about sharing the love we all have for music, whatever it is. For some reason, many people in our community tend to think sharing mp3's is cool. Of course it's really cool to be able to hear new tracks without having to pay for them, at least when you go out afterwards to buy all the records you like, and when you erase all the pieces of music you haven't bought. It's a karma thing. But in those times, it seems people don't even take the time to think like that. They can't see how much money producers like me spend a year for equipment, recording surfaces, extra software, etc... It's a shame.

Everything I got from music got entirely invested in music: records, recording equipment, etc... If making music was just a way to me to buy expensive and luxe things (cars etc...), then I wouldn't stress about quality in my music. And you know all it's not the case.

I care so much about it, that's why I considered quitting the business, and making music only for myself, as I think there is everyday less place for quality music in our world.

The second reason is just the sequel to the first one. The loss of my second family, bonzai [the record label that signed him up], put me in a pretty bad shape. I couldn't believe there was a future for the kind of music we all were trying to defend through the labels.

So, my conclusion is, as long as I can do something to it, I will try to help music getting out of this situation.

Music gave me so much, and you all gave me so much too, during the last 7 years. I can't give up now.

It's not about money. It's all about the things every single producer/dj is fighting for. Quality, atmosphere in clubs, and a good community, based on a good vibe, that respects legitimate rules.

I will keep you informed regarding what will happen in the next few days. I hope I can bring you good news.

At least there's one thing I will keep on fighting for, that is music made with heart. Many people in the business deserve their fame because they put their entire hearts in it, I think about people like john, and also about my actual heroes (won't mention them again, just read my interviews on several websites). I hope I can put as much as they do in the future works of mine.

I hope this doesn't read too complicated to you all. I will keep you all informed about the future.

I have to thank everyone on this board again for their support through the years, and for the kind words I've read here.

Talk to you soon
Lolo

[chsf]

Lolo, that's so sweet!
That's like those guys called Shorty in those old gangster movies!