Vocalist NADIR D'PRIEST Sounds Off On RIAA, Internet Radio

"The Classic Metal Show" recently conducted an interview with ex-LONDON/D'PRIEST/STEEL PROPHET vocalist Nadir D'Priest about the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) and its proposed royalty price hikes that will, in essence, force most U.S. broadcasters out of business. An excerpt from the chat with D'Priest — who has had music featured commercially, in movies like "Valley Of The Dolls" and "The Decline Of Western Civilization Part 2: The Metal Years", and has worked on the other side of the music business for various labels and artists — follows:

The Classic Metal Show: The RIAA has seen fit to try and put Internet radio out of business. What are your thoughts on this?

Nadir: I think that [the RIAA] is trying to reach for something that just isn't going to fly, only because there is such a big buzz as far as independent and Internet radio and independent labels, as far as on MySpace and little websites. I think, from my experience which is going back to 1994 when I was working for Virgin at the time on the [ROLLING] STONES project…I'm not going to divert from your question, but I want to connect the two things. At the time, working with this gentlemen that was the Vice President of Capitol Records and a good friend of mine as well named Bruce Kirtland, they were having a lot of drama from within the label, from EMI and the top labels, because most of the top contracts from STEVE MILLER, PINK FLOYD, and the BOB SEGERs…their contracts did not specify electronic downloads, any kind of Internet access, any kind of electronic wording as far as the Internet or anything like that. They were trying to figure out how to capitalize on all this shit that wasn't in the contract. You've got to remember that they have image and likeness and vinyl and paid cassettes and promotional and all that, but nothing to mention the Internet at that time. The Internet was just kicking in really hard after 1995 and 1996. Going back to the original question, I think that [the RIAA] is doing the same thing. They are trying to figure out a way to get some money out of [Internet radio], since the recording business isn't going so well. I personally think it's going to be really hard for them to do that, only because there are so many people that support the medium that they this is effecting. They are trying to do the same thing [the government] was trying to do before with getting you to pay for emails. It's just not going to happen.

The Classic Metal Show: How much of this do you think is because the labels just can't control the internet broadcasters the way they can the commercial broadcasters. Let's face it, they say there's no payola, but the bottom line is that if you pay, your artist gets played.

Nadir: That's right! I think this is coming from a higher level. This is not coming from the RIAA. This is a little bit more gigantic money…big, big money. It's probably a little bit of lobbying going on. It's going to be impossible for them to police everybody though. Let's face it, with overseas accounts and what not, how the hell are they going to track you down? I just don't think so, man. I think the record companies are freaking out. They are losing their market. They know it's over. I've said this before, but it's going to come down to a f*cking memory stick. They can all f*ck themselves as far as I'm concerned. They f*cked me, and they f*cked a lot of ['80s metal] artists, which is why I made that harsh comment. I'm tired of never seeing any kind of paperwork, any kind of money movement, any kind of royalties, any kind of anything from them; and now it's KY on their ass now. They are the ones that are going to get the penetration.

The Classic Metal Show: Well, I can only speak for what we do here on "The Classic Metal Show", Nadir, and I know that every play only equals a tiny amount of money. But clearly, you should have seen some kind of a check just from us playing the LONDON stuff, the D'PRIEST stuff, etc. over the past five years. Are you saying that you haven't seen anything?

Nadir: The only thing I've seen is…the only thing where I've collected any kind of crappy ass royalty is from BMI. BMI has actually been a good publishing company. Amazing people. Anyway, the only stuff I've seen had to do with the "Decline Of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years", as far as from the songs that are in the movie. Also, I did a project on the side for a movie called "Valley Of The Dolls". It's being played in Russia, the Czech Republic and Canada, and I've seen royalties for that. But that's all I see. For things like you guys are doing, I've never seen anything, dude. Not you, not anybody. This is an ongoing thing. This has been happening to us since 1985. I say "us" because we are all part of that same publishing situation. If any other member is seeing a check, then I don't know because I don't have contact with some of the people that used to be in the band. It's unfortunate, but it's going on, and you really can't do anything about it. It's just one of those things where it just hasn't changed very much.

The Classic Metal Show: From what I know about the RIAA and the labels, the labels can not only pay the radio stations to play your music, but they pay them to not play other people's music. With internet broadcasters, they don't have that kind of leverage…

Nadir: That's it. That's the whole problem for them. They want to have that giant fist over your head, and that's what is making things the way they are. It's one of those things, Neeley and Chris. They are going to try to do it. It's kind of like what happened with satellite radio. The only way Howard Stern could get away was to go on his own and do his own thing because he was getting too out of hand. You guys are kind of in the same situation. You guys are really good at what you do. You've got a great fanbase. You get the top artists calling you. You are getting a lot of hits, and they want some of that action. They are definitely going to use tactics to try and scare you, but I just don't think you will have to worry about that.

To listen to the entire interview, go to this location.