I'm hearing the same thing from many directions this year: Law makers changing copyright laws, primarily to protect musicians, without consulting musicians.

From Radio Head

In addition, the artists are unhappy with the fact that the labels, represented by lobby groups such as the RIAA and IFPI, are pushing for anti-piracy legislation without consulting the artists they claim to represent. Fans are unnecessarily portrayed as criminals according to some.

From Veteran singer-songwriter and political activist Brag

"What I said at the meeting was that the record industry in Britain is still going down the road of criminalising our audience for downloading illegal MP3s, if we follow the music industry down that road, we will be doing nothing more than being part of a protectionist effort. It's like trying to put toothpaste back in the tube."

from Creative Freedom NZ

The Creative Freedom Foundation announced today that thousands of artists have signed their petition against the removal of New Zealander's rights through changes in copyright law, purportedly done in the name of protecting artists and creativity.

APRA member and Wellington musician Phil Brownlee

“As an APRA member, the thing that really strikes me about their public position is that it's not based on consultation with actual members (Or, if it was, not all of them.) It disturbs me that APRA seem to be uncritically repeating the (arguably fallacious) arguments of the big international publishers, which, from my point of view, are based on flawed understandings of the technological and social changes we're in the middle of.”

from musician Luke Rowell/Disasteradio

The legislation which has been written with private record company interests will alientate fans and hold them under suspicion and that's not a good way to sell records. [...] I'm not represented, yet.

from Luke Buda of Phoenix Foundation

There is no excuse for a system that disgards the principle of innocent until proven guilty. [..] I'm not represented

from NZ musican Imon Starr

[new law] is ridiculous and needs to be stopped, [..] I am not represented by this law

from Glyn MacLean and Julia

I would like to suggest this; that there is an alternate truth out there amongst NZ musicians that have been systemically exploited to the detriment of NZ music industry. This begs the question, "Why are we allowing these people make decisions about the future of NZ music?"

that's just music. Copyright is ever so much bigger than music.

To law makers everywhere: ASK THE ARTISTS! ASK THE MUSICIANS! ASK THE PLAY WRIGHTS, THE POETS, THE PHOTOGRAPHERS, THE SCREEN WRITERS!! don't take the old-century distributions chain owners as being the artist's representatives - they're not