OÖN 21st April 2005

"Emule" is one of the most popular MP3 exchanges on the internet. The programme finds 72 files when you search for the artist Hubert von Goisern. While the music industry complains about declinging sales figures - caused by illegal copying -, the Upper Austrian musician sees the trend unperturbed.

Photo: Handlechner

Doesn't the internet also offer musicians the advantage of gaining a higher profile? If music is gree, couldn't the probability be higher that someone follows the scent of an album that they wouldn't buy in a shop...

Basically I'm glad about each person who listens to my music.

As a successful artist in the German-speaking area, do you "feel" the damage that the downloaders do?

I'm not interested in the bookkeeping or accounts of the music industry. I know that I sold more records ten years ago than I have in recent years. But I think to put the blame on downloading is an unproven hypothesis.

Has the music economy "slept through" the trend for music downloads on the internet?

I think the musical landscape has become much more diverse. Smaller units are more flexible and can therefore act more subversively. I think that's invigorating. A good many weeds have afterwards turned out to be medicinal plants.

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