Frank Zappa Invented File Sharing?

[Vermeer]

Came across this 1983 article while researching Frank's music: http://www.zappa.com/cheezoid/whatsn...s/FZ-Proposal/

**** Abstract ****
"We propose to acquire the rights to digitally duplicate and store THE BEST of every record company's difficult-to-move Quality Catalog Items [Q.C.I.], store them in a central processing location, and have them accessible by phone or cable TV, directly patchable into the user's home taping appliances, with the option of direct digital-to-digital transfer to F-1 (SONY consumer level digital tape encoder), Beta Hi-Fi, or ordinary analog cassette (requiring the installation of a rentable D-A converter in the phone itself . . . the main chip is about $12). "

******

It seems that Frank was way ahead of his time there. The technologies are different but this is the basic idea.

He left way too soon. Well, at least his ideas about artists owning their masters and sharing the profits 50/50 with record companies is finally taking hold (i.e: Steve Vai's Favorite Nation, Jack Ponti's Bardic Records, etc.)

[picksail]

I remember first reading this in the Real Frank Zappa book.

This guy was a pioneer of so many things most of which were considered so absurd that he couldn't get most of the projects financed. (One of which was the concept of what became virtual reality).

[Drumsound]

FZ was a great mind on so many levels!

[oedipus_complex]

Yeah Zappa was a genius. Get your hands on some of his records for those who haven't already, I recommend Apostrophe or Joe's Garage.

[jdunn]

Especially in the wake of the Florida election of 2000, 9/11, the horribly stupid war in Iraq, etc... FZ is the one person I miss the most. Frank would have had so much to say about all this insanity that has happened since his death. Thank god for Michael Moore I guess, but this really sucks.

Oh yeah, check out 'The Best Band You Never Heard In Your Life'. Also 'Make A Jazz Noise Here' and 'Broadway The Hard Way'. These are live from the last tour in 88' which ended early because a few of the horn players didn't like the bass player, Scott Thunes.

I met Robert Martin from FZs' band briefly a few years ago. I had to call him Bobby! Sorry Robert, I couldn't help it.

[loudist]

Originally posted by Vermeer
Came across this 1983 article while researching Frank's music: http://www.zappa.com/cheezoid/whatsn...s/FZ-Proposal/

**** Abstract ****
"We propose to acquire the rights to digitally duplicate and store THE BEST of every record company's difficult-to-move Quality Catalog Items [Q.C.I.], store them in a central processing location, and have them accessible by phone or cable TV, directly patchable into the user's home taping appliances, with the option of direct digital-to-digital transfer to F-1 (SONY consumer level digital tape encoder), Beta Hi-Fi, or ordinary analog cassette (requiring the installation of a rentable D-A converter in the phone itself . . . the main chip is about $12). "

******

His motivation was to let the consumer have a choice on which individual songs to buy as opposed to being forcrd to buy an album with 2 songs and the rest filler.
And the 'creative' accounting and unreported backdoor pressings of record companies would be eliminated.
Man did he smell the coffee!

[Bob Olhsson]

A lot of us were talking about doing this by the early '70s and the idea had actually been around since originating as part of the idea for cable television at AT&T during the late '20s. At the time newspapers controlled most local radio stations and they had enough political clout to convince Congress they didn't want one corporation having that much control over the media and hence who might get elected.

fast-forward...

[picksail]

Originally posted by jdunn
I met Robert Martin from FZs' band briefly a few years ago. I had to call him Bobby! Sorry Robert, I couldn't help it.

Hope he's still "Keepin' It Greasy" on sax.

[jdunn]

He co-owned a small studio in Woodland Hills, CA along with another guy who was a singer with the band 'Spirit' I think, but I could be totally wrong on which band that is. That was 3-4 years ago. Their studio is right around the corner from my brothers' house actually. I was running an errand for Stayne of innerTube Audio, another character. I believe Bobby was trying out the first stereo Squeezebox, the one with the power supply built into an empty reel of Ampex tape.