*picture by Okain’s soundcloud page
“I don’t think they will succeed in making them cry on our fate”
– Okain
As one half of the Handycraft duo he forms with Paul Ritch, Okain belongs to the famous French bunch of DJs and producers gathered around artists such as Alex Dee (Jetaime Records), Varoslay (Rue de Plaisance), Thomas Müller, David K and Yakine. With productions and remixes on labels such as Quartz, Jetaime Records, Tsuba, Bpitch Control or again ViVa Music, he has imposed himself as one of the most important artists of the electronic music scene of the last two years.
Being a successful artist due to his House and Techno productions, he defines himself in the first instance as a great Hip-hop lover; he is a passionate lover of music. Observing an interesting progression of his career as a producer and of his work as a DJ who has known both vinyl in its purest form as well as digital work, Okain therefore seems to be a good interlocutor when it comes to elude one of the major problems of the music industry.
stylistberlin.de guest interview by EDOUARD MORIN
Okain, you have been living in Berlin for a short while. For this reason we will discuss the illegal downloading situation of your new host country, a situation that is quite similar everywhere.
In what measure do you see yourself concerned by the illegal downloading phenomenon?
I do feel concerned and this probably like most musical artist, as today the entity of my discography is available illegally online. Furthermore, I find myself occasionally downloading series, films, music or even magazines illegally.
10times more illegal downloads in Germany than legally bought tracks? – Honestly? I am not shocked. (Okain)
What is your first reaction when I tell you that in Germany, 10 times more tracks are downloaded illegally online than bought on legal downloading websites?
Honestly? I am not shocked. I even think that this evaluation does not reflect the reality and this practice is more developed than we think. Illegal downloads have today entered our customs; people easily admit resorting to illegal mediums to get hold of tracks
the income from records is not enough
Nowadays, the majority of Djs and producers live thanks to the fee they each receive from their gigs. Could they actually live only from the money earned from their EPs’ sales?
For the majority of underground club music producers, the income from records is not enough. Most of all, it is much inferior to that fee from their gigs. It is of course still possible for some of the big sellers to live from their EPs but in any case, the money generated from their gigs will remain neatly superior.
Could you give us an estimated mean of the number of EPs that you want when you make release?
I sell approximately 400 vinyls and 2000 mp3 per release (mp3’s being more lucrative). Though deals on vinyl vary from one label to another, if one deducts the production costs that represent close to 40% of the selling price, it leave only a small amount for the artist. In general the benefits are shared equally between the artist and the label; each receives around 30% of the selling price.
I think the phenomenon has become too democratized to try and change the mentalities.
The famous German rapper Kool Savas said: “I myself download music illegally online”. In addition, we hear an increasing amount of young artists say: “it doesn’t matter if people download our music, we just want to be known!” Shouldn’t they incite music lovers to buy their tracks instead of “stealing” them?
Personally, I think the phenomenon has become too democratized to try and change the mentalities. On the other hand, its come back to artists and labels to find a new way of selling their music. Recently, I saw that a label was offering to its vinyl-buyers the possibility to download freely mp3 and even some unreleased tracks. I think it is a good idea and there are surely plenty more… As far as I am concerned, I am happy that some people that would usually not have access to my music for financial reasons, can discover and listen to it for free thanks to illegal downloading, YouTube, etc. Of course that most downloaders would actually have the means of buying the tracks… but I think that in general this phenomenon gives me more visibility. The resort to illegal downloading also allows some people to taste the product before deciding to buy the album or EP in a physical form like vinyl or CD.
I don’t think they will succeed in making people cry on our fate.
With the poor health of the music industry’s finances and the loss of an important amount of vinyl stock belonging to a number of electronic music labels during the London riots of august 2011, shouldn’t specialized press give more importance to current issues and by the latter put forward a new vision associating music and contemporary issues?
Yes, maybe they should go in this direction. Nevertheless, I don’t think they will succeed in making people cry on our fate. We already are privileged, with or without illegal downloads.
In your opinion, can illegal downloads have a positive effect? If so, which?
Of course! As I mentioned previously, people know an increasing number of artists. Illegal downloading allows us therefore to have a greater visibility; but also radio, YouTube, USB keys, etc.
Growing companies: Deezer, Soundcloud, Youtube, etc.
It is common knowledge that the music industry has been for years in a precarious situation. What measures would you take as remedy to this problem?
There are a few companies that are indeed sinking. You nevertheless have to see that quite some others have grown in these last few years. I am thinking for example of Deezer, Soundcloud, Youtube, etc. Music houses now also organize concerts with their own artists. I have the impression that in this industry, more and more nights and festivals are organized. All this does generate a non-negligible economy. One simply cannot rely anymore on the direct music sales to keep this industry going; and this would solve the problem.
FIN.
OKAIN Releases:
_ Marcus Meinhardt – Checkpot (Okain Remix) (Uponyou),
_ Alessio Mereu – Only you know who I really am ( Okain remix ) (Amam),
_ EP on Tsuba in April 2012.
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