Right rights

In the early days of Sawtooth, we decided not to launch without securing the rights to the music we wanted to sell.

That’s a lie. There was never any debate. It was always the only way.

The original inspiration for Sawtooth came to me in the late ’90s and early 2000s. I wanted a way to share music with my friends that didn’t take away from the artist. I also wanted a way to show my gratitude and continued support by paying a small amount of money for every play.

I would never even consider “theft” as a viable path.

And we’ve spent the better part of a year learning about licensing, applying our model to the current context, and negotiating terms with our dream artist, label, and distributor partners.

It hasn’t been easy, but the right way rarely is.

That’s what makes the news that the majors are negotiating for a stake in Suno and Udio so infuriating. On the one hand, this move comes as no surprise. On the other hand, the majors are signalling that theft on an unimaginable scale is better than an honest proposal for mutual benefit.

But I digress.

The only way to change behaviour is to make the right things easy and the wrong things so ridiculously painful that no one will ever try them again.

So it goes.

One last thought: Had I known a year ago what I know now, I would have prioritised a rights attorney to be our third co-founder. Message me if that’s you.