Creative Commons workout mix (mp3)

This Creative Commons NonCommercial workout mix is inspired by a little piece of current events:  

Last month, Australia's Copyright Tribunal increased music licensing fees for fitness classes by 1500%. Now, Australia's gyms are faced with the question of whether to pass this new cost -- averaging over $20,000/year -- on to their customers, or to search for alternative solutions. One solution is to play recordings that are not covered by the agreement to begin with. The blanket license for recordings (but not compositions) is overseen by the Phonographic Performance Company of Australia (PPCA). Their catalog includes the discographies of hundreds of Australian labels & artists who've opted to join the collecting society, but its primary licensors are the four multinational major labels. In other words, "Real Music". Or at least that's the language the PPCA uses in its press release. This doesn't mean to say that PPCA members are any more "real" than independent artists (though it may seem implied). Rather, it's referring to the hundreds of fitness centers across Australia who are phasing out original music in favor of cheap cover recordings that aren't subject to PPCA control. The trend was recently spotlighted in this Wall Street Journal article, and these Britney Spears knockoffs are apparently big business for anybody who really wants to make money through music.

For those who want something a little real-er than mock pop tunes the next time they're at the gym, I made this mix of Creative Commons-licensed workout-ready tunes. All of these tracks (except the liberally-licensed Juanitos) are licensed under NonCommercial terms (click the "i" for the complete terms). So other than the Juanitos, these tracks wouldn't fly in a for-profit gym, but they could be used in school gyms and non-profit YMCA types of fitness centers. As long as the song isn't being used to enhance somebody's business, these artists would bee happy to see you getting in shape to their music. So feel free to download and bring this with you on your next trip to the gym. And if you find yourself having to use this to block out another knockoff "Oops I Did It Again" again, now you'll know why.

More about each artist after the jump or by clicking the "i" button next to their track. As always if you like what you hear, you can tip the artist by hitting the $ symbol on their artist page.

The mix starts out with a Japanese hip-hop jam by Gunhead, released by the top-notch netlabel Maltine Records.

Next up is a kwaito track from Banana Clipz, a production team featuring Chief Boima (of DJ/Rupture's Dutty Artz collective and a WFMU blogger), Oro 11, Zurita, and Brooklyn's Uproot Andy.

Prepare To Meet Thy Broom! is two electro-funk brothers from Juarez Mexico, and this comes via the lalala4e netlabel

Y△CHT is both a belief system and a band consisting of Portland Oregon's Jona Bechtolt and Claire L. Evans and you. Last year's See Mystery Lights (DFA) made countless year-end best of lists, and the album's instrumentals are available here.

Nambavan hails from the Russian republic of Tatarstan, and this track can be found on his album Chechnya on a Dance Floor (WM Recordings)

Dan Deacon is the godfather of Baltimore aka Wham City. This track appeared on UpitUp's Back From the Future compilation, and was also the promo track off 2007's acclaimed Spiderman of the Rings (Carpark Records)

Professor Kliq is Mike Else from Chicago, and this track comes off BlocSonic's NetBloc Vol. 26

Roglok is one of the key players behind the UpItUp netlabel, and this track was picked for the 18-track 6-netlabel bestof Greatest It comp, originally on 2008's Out of Disorder

Switzerland's Bacalao got his start in the demoscene making music on Amiga in the 1990s. He continues to wow the world with netaudio gems like this one (not to mention his amazing submission to the Anti-Pop Consortium remix contest)

Mochipet is David Y Wang, born in Taiwan, based in Daly City CA, touring the world in a dino suit. This track's off Peppermill Records' Summer compilation, where every track was inspired by a news article headline (here's the one)

Juanitos have been making "100% Good Vibes Music" since 1991, and this is off their latest release Soul Africa. The French group's work is available under a CC license that permits commercial use, and they've been around since 1994 experimenting with a range of styles -- take a listen through their vast discography here.

Please point us towards your favorite Creative Commons workout jams by leaving a comment, especially music that is licensed in under terms that allow commercial use...maybe you'd like to make some?

Comments

[Nicholas]

"The PPCA recently won increased payments from nightclubs, too, and says it is now looking into proposing original-music tariffs for shopping malls and funeral parlors." -Wall Street Journal

Wow, what a bunch of vampires. It goes to show, though, that when they market bland pop music, it is fairly easy to produce bland knock-offs.

[Jason]

That's a choice pulled quote, Nicholas. Shaking down funeral parlors for royalties sounds pretty depressing. But I'd be morbidly curious to hear Knock-Off Music For Funeral Parlors: The Album

[Sam]

If they start charging for use in funeral parlors, maybe it will bring back a renaissance for Funeral Durges?

http://www.swanfungus.com/2009/08/wilhelm-kleinbach-the-funerary-notebooks-of-herr-gratchenfleiss.html

[Luigi of "Programmi Gratis"]

I would like to record and distribute some good music for free. When I was a musician (some year ago) I always focussed on the deep communication playing live could give, nothing else.
Unfortunately, I don't use to play my beloved guitar anymore and I lost almost my whole technique... :-(
I wish you all the best for your Creative Commons' Art Career!