Wastebook - Senator Tom Coburn - U.S. Senate

Wastebook 201312. Indie Rock Music Execs’ World Tour – (ITA) $284,300With aging rock stars now old enough to collect Social Security, perhaps it should not be so shockinga genre of music that once represented rebellion and counter-culture is now taking governmentwelfare and handouts.The American Association of Independent Music (A2IM) received $284,300 this year from theInternational Trade Administration (ITA) Market Development Cooperator program. 187 This is “thefirst time” the federal government’s “trade arm” has funded the promotion of the U.S. musicindustry. 188With the government subsidies, independent music label executives have been traveling around theglobe promoting rock music in foreign markets 189 on what might be called “the Indie Rock MusicExecs World Tour.” Last year, ITA officials accompanied A2IM members on a trip to Asia. 190 Thisyear the group was rocking in Rio.Rock and roll—despite declining revenues—is still big business, generating $7.1 billion in the U.S. lastyear 191 and independent music sales now make up one-third of the U.S. market, according to Billboardmagazine. 192So why would those whorepresent indie rock—analternative form of rock thatresists the commercialinfluences of big money—askUncle Sam to sponsor theirtour?“We need to find new revenuestreams,” explained RichBengloff, president of theAmerican Association ofIndependent Music. 193Indie music execs rocking in Rio.Whatever the excuse, thegroup is having a rocking good time courtesy of taxpayers. Government official joined 12 independentmusic industry execs—once cultural adversaries—on a multi-city trip to Brazil from April 18-22,2013. 194 The agenda included a conference on independent music 195 and “marathon one-on-onemeetings in Rio De Janeiro and Sao Paulo over four days, with a little R&R in between.” 196 Thisincluded a side trip to Sugarloaf Mountain. 197Alec Bemis, the managing partner at Brassland label, spent time on the trip to Brazil “comparing therecord stores, club districts and facial expressions of locals at the mention of his bands.” He “spent aday strolling through a six-story São Paulo mall of tiny mom-and-pop shops devoted to rock music,posters and fashion.” He concluded in Brazil, “lots of kids are into in Goth rock and hard-core,underground rock forms.” 198 When asked about the success of his trip, Mr. Bemis said he “didn’t inkany deals” but thought the trip it was a great opportunity, noting, “Oh, this could work.” 199 While hislabel’s bands and their fans may not have got to join him on the trip, Bemis points out “the internet has24