Though his legacy — both musically and financially — is secure, Nick Mason still wonders what will become of the industry Pink Floyd once helped define.
“Because of the internet, music has become devalued,” Mason tells British GQ. “Maybe music was overvalued previously, but it’s been devalued to a point where I think it’s a problem now. We actually miss out on a lot of good music that could be available that isn’t.”
Nick Mason was one of the most vocal critics of U2’s recent iTunes gambit, decrying the idea of giving away music on a global scale. The Pink Floyd drummer stands by that criticism, saying the subsequent backlash proved him right.
That said, Mason says there could be a pathway forward involving the internet.
“I think it does help, funnily enough, when U2 release their album and give it away for free,” Mason says. “It’s been really interesting how badly that went down. But Spotify has been very interesting, because Spotify does look like it’s the future. I think iTunes, less so. That is already beginning to look rather passe. Unfortunately, what we need is another two or three billion people using it [Spotify] — and then I think it would bring to make proper sense for musicians.”
Mason recently helped complete Pink Floyd’s first new album in 20 years. The Endless River set pre-sale records, even as it underscored Richard Wright’s contributions to their sound.
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