The need for a more organised approach to development was the consensus when a small group of musicians, producers and other stakeholders met to chart the future of the local music industry.
At a symposium at the Guyana International Convention Centre, organized in the lead up to Accolade – The Music Awards of Guyana, producer Burchmore Simon called for a collective effort to develop local music and help it gain a firm foothold internationally, while protecting the rights of musicians.
With only around two dozen people there, Simon, who is part of the team organizing the awards, was disappointed. He explained that without active participation by all stakeholders there coukld be no progress. He said while the industry comprises individuals, it is essential to unite as one force to push ahead. “Without organisation [we] cannot move forward,” he said, pointing out that a collective front would help to create a place for the government as well as corporate citizens to channel resources needed to develop the music business.
In this regard, he welcomed the setting up of institutions like the Music Industry Association of Guyana and the Association for the Advancement of Guyanese Entertainment, saying they are both essential to promoting local music and the treatment of performers. The need for these bodies to align themselves with similar organisations across the world, like Record Industry Association of America, in order to gain credibility, was also emphasised.
Simon painted a stark picture of the global music industry, which continues to suffer huge losses to piracy through illegal peer-to-peer file sharing and downloads. There is the saturation of the market — with more than 6,000 singles produced every month all over the world vying for airplay. In the region, he said the dominance of North American music on the airwaves continues to be a major challenge. He noted that in Trinidad and Tobago, calypsonians regularly complain that they only get airplay during the annual carnival celebrations; while in Guyana studios produce a large volume of work during the annual Mashramani celebrations also face the same problem. (In fact, while Simon noted the state-run NCN radio has agreed to play more local music, many of the musicians on hand felt that one hour a day was not enough.) Minister of Tourism Manniram Prashad, who was present at the symposium, said it was one problem facing the industry that was a quick fix and he promised to help.) The role of local bands in promoting the catalogues of their peers at live shows was also underscored and Simon said Kross Kolor Records would be promoting the work of Guyanese artists.
The need for updated copyright legislation to protect musicians from widespread piracy was the elephant in the room and the participants were not shy about venting their frustrations with the negligible protection that is currently offered by the law. One participant mentioned finding a pirated copy of his work at the Giftland store and being told matter-of-factly that there is nothing he could do about it. Simon said the industry needs to take the initiative and show criminals that it is serious about protecting its work. Immediately, he said, musicians need to continue to test the laws already in place. Although he acknowledged that the fines and penalties were minimal, he said it is important symbolically and may help to further the enactment of modern legislation. Simon suggested what he called the poor man’s copyright law, saying musicians and other artists should register their works at the post office. Until the implementation of new laws, he said, membership in regional copyright organisations would offer some protection. He also suggested the creation of an anti-piracy website to expose those responsible for making illegal copies. Prashad said the situation might force the government to examine updating the copyright laws.
Simon said he believed that there is a role for government in the development of the industry, but he made it clear that musicians and other stakeholders in the industry also need to work towards selling value. He said Guyana’s music is on par with what is being produced elsewhere and challenged artists to produce more work and to work along with managers to promote it. On the latter point, the success of social networks like Myspace and Facebook in helping to push new music was noted.
According to Simon, the government has an integral role in creating an environment conducive to the emergence of new musicians and the promotion of artists domestically and here and internationally. He spoke of the need to get music teachers back into the education system to nurture young talent. In fact, Accolade is setting up a ‘Let The Music Flow’ fund to provide scholarships to young musicians and possibly to help set up a music school. Simon said that the cost of studio equipment is also prohibitive and he suggested that duty-free concessions be given on them. Additionally, he argued for an independent radio and television station to promote and develop the local arts and culture in general.
