I love to watch videos of people hoopdancing in their living rooms to music they love. I love to see people tearing it up to music they really get into. YouTube has both enabled us to do this and made it very challenging for us to do this. We have the technology to just turn on a camera, rock it out, upload it, and share it with friends around the globe … except, if we upload it to YouTube (the largest video sharing site on the internet), they may pull the music from our video, or even take the whole video down, if some corporation says we are infringing on their copyright. If it contains music some recording company contends they have exclusive rights to, YouTube will censor us. It doesn’t matter if we own the music or if we think that our use falls under Fair Use Guidelines. We have very little recourse if YouTube disagrees.
While YouTube and the recording industry contend this protects artists, I know for a fact that our little music videos promote artists. I, personally, have discovered much of my favorite music and many singers I adore because other hoopers hoop to their songs. The videos we make are free advertising and, more than that, they are a co-creation that honors the musician as muse. What musician doesn’t want people to dance to their music!?!
I think copyright laws stifle the evolution of art, science, technology and medicine. We have got to start thinking about sharing information differently. But, for now, this is the way things are so, whenever possible, I deliberately choose to make videos that feature the music of independent artists, musicians who have either self-published or recorded with small independent labels, musicians who appreciate the gesture and benefit from the promotion.
To that end, I am very proud to share this little hoopdance I did to a great song written and performed by Roddy Meyer Barnes. Roddy is an internationally known singer, song-writer, trumpet player and kick-ass piano player (one of the best you’ll ever hear). I met him last year and I fell in love with his quirky song writing and amazing boogie woogie. This song, ‘Suicidal Animals’ is from his album Under the Sun, which you can buy on CD Baby or on his website: http://www.roddybarnes.com/
I plan to do a lot more of these types of videos, videos intentionally promoting artists whose music I love. I encourage you to also. It’s a real gift to everyone. Maybe we can help a deserving artist have a viral video while creating a paradigm shift about sharing.
Love, Caroleeena
“Share your knowledge. It is a way to achieve immortality.” – Dalai Lama XIV
