We are music lovers, but we're not what you'd call audiophiles. Sure, we love high quality music, but most people we know who call themselves "audiophiles" (more accurate description: audio snobs) are people who are so fixated on sound quality and trying to define that quality that they forget to listen to the music. Also, we think that it's not the end user's job to spend boo-coos bucks and study audio theory so they can enjoy listening to music. That's the musician's job to worry about stuff like that...that's what they get paid for. And the main reason why we're music lovers and not "audiophiles" is this: Peter Gabriel will kick booty on a mono radio AM station that's almost out of station range. Michael Bolton will still suck on a $50,000 state-of-the-art stereo system. When it comes to music, that's all you really need to know.
So when Gabriel started babbling about a "5.1" version of Up, we were less than enthused. 5.1? What happened to versions 1.0 through 5.0? Why weren't we called in for beta-testing? Then we learned that it's just a fancy way of saying "surround sound." Okay, you need a special player to use it, which no one has, and more importantly, we don't have, and not going to have anytime soon. Hard for us to get real excited about that.
Then we started getting e-mails from people saying that they were excited about this 5.1 stuff . Then some people pointed out that Up would be the first album released in this format. Okay we thought, maybe this 5.1 stuff is good for something, namely generating attention towards Up and making the audiophiles happy. Besides, we like Dolby who makes this technology, and Sony, who makes a mighty fine Dream Machine at a pretty reasonable price.
Then we got this press release. Then we almost as horrified as when we saw this picture. Gabriel has gone to the Dark Side. As the first artist to release a full album via 5.1 streaming, he's actually working with Microsoft.
Ick.
See, 5.1 is being used exclusively with yet another proprietary MS format so that people can use 5.1 as streaming audio. Of course, you have to use MS software, MS OS, and MS servers in order for it to work. And it's a part of Microsoft's .NET/Hailstorm/Passport strategy, which is basically an MS attempt to own the Internet and the world. And now they want to own and control the music industry, too. Mark our words...just as MS is wanting to get people to "rent" software through them and forcing people to pay for upgrades, MS will find a way for you to have to pay them rent (them, not the aritsts) to listen to music, and if MS has their way, there will be no competition to turn to as an alternative. If some day your computer and music is shut off because you didn't pay your "music and software" bill on time, don't say we didn't warn ya.
Unsolicited advice to Gabriel: As a musician you may think 5.1 is "all that." We understand that your intentions are pure and you want to endorse the highest quality music to your fans that thousands will be able to easily access. But we warn you...no one has ever gotten in bed with Microsoft without getting out feeling screwed. If one day you wake up to find a strange mark on your forehead and you're being forced to produce and release a different BallmerFunk Remix every month because Bill Gates now ownz j00, don't come crying to us. We'll be too busy in our roles as the last bastion of freedom against the Microsoft's Big Brother. Microsoft's powers will be useless against us, as we will be wearing our tinfoil hats.
Now dear readers, it's not too late for you to avoid becoming a tool for the MS Monopoly! If you must have 5.1, get the hard copy media, not the streaming! Or find a way to hack their system...this is MS...anyone can hack their stuff!
For all those audiophiles who endore MS plan for world domination...well, enjoy your high-quality streaming tunes while you can. You will pay dearly for it.
Rant over. Now would be a good time as any to remind everyone we're still looking for punishments, details and examples to be found here.