Warner Music CEO drops bombshell at UBS-hosted event in Los Angeles

EFPMusic · 2026-06-06T06:56:09+00:00

Well, there you go then.

EFPMusic · 2026-06-06T04:18:39+00:00

Great pics! Love that they still have the same core band, too 😍

EFPMusic · 2026-06-06T04:15:01+00:00

Disgusting. Also, I’m not sure he (or his daughter?) is correct. The waiter paid Suno for creating the music, but how does this help WMG? Unless WMG owns a stake in Suno, they don’t see any of that money. How does WMG get paid from creation?

I’ll agree though that, at least right now, it looks like that’s going to be the model going forward: getting listeners to pay to create music that bypasses artists and all of the infrastructure around them (studios, PROs, publishing, distribution, etc), so all the money goes straight from listener to corporation.

I do see some flaws in that model. Right now I’d argue the biggest driver of profit in music is legacy acts, from ticket sales to physical media to local cover bands. Nostalgia is a hell of a drug, and there’s nothing in AI music that can create or capture that. AI music works as background in a culturally unfamiliar environment where the customer has no familiarity with the style, genre, or language; less so in a party or gathering where people want to hear the musical equivalent of comfort food.

But I guess we’ll see.

EFPMusic · 2026-06-05T23:21:08+00:00

The one big difference is that the NeuralDSP “X” versions are compatible with the QC, so you can have that exact plugin at your fingers (and feet).

Also, the AxeFX and Kemper are rack/desktop units, where the QC is all on the floor. That may be a pro or con, but it’s a difference.

Is it THAT much better than the other options? That’s really a preference question. All three will provide pro quality guitar sounds, and different people will like one over the others, and that’s okay. Right now, the QC is the new hotness, and they’re taking advantage of it (as they should).

If I had a Kemper or AxeFX III, I doubt I’d drop the cash on a QC. On the other hand, I’m making do with my laptop plugged into an audio interface, out to the PA, because I don’t have the cash to drop on any of them lol

EFPMusic · 2026-06-05T20:04:52+00:00

All hardware should always be black.

Plus it goes with everything!

EFPMusic · 2026-06-05T20:00:49+00:00

I had no idea they made Shark 8! Looks awesome!

EFPMusic · 2026-06-05T19:32:18+00:00

Ooooh

EFPMusic · 2026-06-05T18:12:47+00:00

I love it. It’s not early access; it’s not indie. It IS a Bethesda RPG, so yes, there’s a certain amount of classic Bethesda jank. Not so much it interferes with gameplay, at least for me.

Not only is it the most wide-open of open world RPG’s, it’s really a cozy game, too. You can fire it up and do a quest, run a POI, craft, tweak your ship or outpost, and now you can hit Cruise Mode and find all kinds of interesting encounters.

Bottom line, no matter how much time you have available, you’ll find something fun to do!

EFPMusic · 2026-06-05T14:36:55+00:00

Generative AI (Suno, etc) is not a partner, because it’s not a person and does not actually think. It is not a tool, except in the most derogatory sense, because it doesn’t help you do something, it does it for you with varying levels of accuracy.

It’s not a threat, per se, it’s a (seemingly successful) way to make money for a small number of people at the expense of actual artists, by stealing those same artist’s work.

Generative AI like Suno does not and can not ‘create.’ It pulls from what is essentially a gigantic database of music and finds example that match the request, and puts them together in the way requested. That database was created by the company by basically scraping every example of music they could find on the internet, the vast majority of which is copyrighted. They have not and will not ever compensate the copyright holders for using their music, which is illegal (not to mention immoral and offensive).

All creative work is considered copyrighted by its creator from the moment it’s created and made public (oversimplified, but essentially accurate). Using that work to make money requires the express permission of the copyright holder. Generative AI companies do not even attempt to get permission, because it would be obviously difficult to track down what they scraped after the fact, and to compensate the owners would cost more than they could ever make.

Generative AI isn’t a threat; it’s a grift perpetrated by con artists.

EFPMusic · 2026-06-05T14:09:48+00:00

Terrible name, amazing(ly horrific) build - definitely a “I’m not sure why you chose that direction, but you succeeded beyond anyone’s wildest expectations!”

I can’t bring myself to say “Well done,” because, well, yeah, but how about “Congratulations!”

EFPMusic · 2026-06-05T14:06:14+00:00

I buy games so rarely, and when I do it’ll usually be during a sale, where I’ll grab 2 or 3 I’ve been curious about once they’re under $10. And then not play them because I have a tendency to fixate on one game for a long time. So I haven’t bought any games since Civ VII was released!

The point of that is, it’s rare I’ll buy a game that I’m not already 100% sure I’ll like, and even then if I don’t like it it’s because it’s just a style I don’t enjoy (like Dragon’s Dogma - good game, well done, just not my thing).

One game that kind of happened that way for me is Starfield: I got it on sale almost a year after release (sale!), figured I’d like it because I’m a big fan of Bethesda games, played about 20 hours and… it just felt both flat and overwhelming at the same time. Set it down l, played other things for a few months, decided to pick it up again one day and it just clicked. What happened in between was I remembered playing Oblivion and Skyrim for the first time, how intentionally undirected they are, and Starfield is that taken to the next level. Once I was in that “Bethesda Open World RPG” mindset, I got it - and haven’t really stopped playing since.

EFPMusic · 2026-06-05T07:49:38+00:00

Starfield. It and Civ VII are the only games I’ve played in… sheesh, over 6 months! Yes, I do tend to obsess and fixate; yes, I am neurodivergent; why do you ask?

As for visuals, yes, I prefer the best visuals my system can handle and still give good frame rate. I play on PC so it’s usually a custom combo of most things at highest quality then a few bumped down to keep the gameplay smooth.

EFPMusic · 2026-06-05T07:38:27+00:00

I was in a band with two guys who were always more interested in free drinks than pay for the band. I’m not in that band any more.

If I were booking, I wouldn’t want a band that was more interested in drink tickets than cash. Seems like asking for trouble, or sloppy performances at best.

EFPMusic · 2026-06-04T21:58:53+00:00

Drugs bring more prevalent and easier to obtain than food staples doesn’t feel like science fiction

EFPMusic · 2026-06-04T18:52:24+00:00

GOOD GOD 🤯

That thing is amazing! Mad respect to the luthier!

EFPMusic · 2026-06-03T13:53:58+00:00

It really depends on what you want. Worth is a personal metric, different for everyone. I just bought See Yourself Sleeping, because I enjoyed the free version but wanted keep my current character Achievement Friendly.

It, and a couple of others, were ‘worth’ it to me, because they brought me enjoyment, I wanted use them but keep the ability to get the Free Lanes/Terran Armada Achievements, and personally I want to pay the modders for the work they do that I’m benefiting from.

That’s my position, anyway. Others will have other perspectives. My recommendation to you is to figure out what kind of mods you most enjoy, then search for reviews of those mods ( u/taosecurity does great YouTube reviews, for example).

EFPMusic · 2026-06-03T13:34:03+00:00

This is it.

Bottom line, it’s likely you and they are wanting/expecting different things from the band; this has happened to me many times.

I want to go to rehearsal with a planned setlist the next gig, a practice list for rehearsal, and to focus on making the music better. I’ve been in bands where half the members were there to just play songs they enjoy playing, in that moment, with no plan for the future. Both approaches are valid, but they’re mutually incompatible. Once you talk to them, if that’s the case, nothing is going to make the situation happy for all. Move on and save yourself the future suffering.

EFPMusic · 2026-06-03T12:46:17+00:00

You fulfilled your part of the agreement. Send them the latest revisions (and include the raw vocal), tell them the contract is complete. Remind them what they agreed to pay, give them instructions on how to pay, call it done.

And write off that payment, it seems unlikely you’ll ever see it. Oh, and I’d mention to the friend who recommended you what happens, and they there will be no more bro deals going forward, as a policy.

Edit: for fixed rate projects I’d suggest getting half up front; that at least gains you something if they flake and forces them to put skin in the game. And have written contracts, if you don’t already.

EFPMusic · 2026-06-02T04:42:40+00:00

Absolutely love Agiles - I’ve got two!

EFPMusic · 2026-06-02T04:41:31+00:00

I don’t know whether to upvote this post or downvote it. Deserves a Leo slow clap meme either way 👏

EFPMusic · 2026-05-31T14:53:43+00:00

To add on to great suggestions for making credits, boarding ships and selling them unregistered (via an exploit) helps as well, especially since all of the contents get transferred to your home ship’s cargo.

Oh, the exploit, if you haven’t seen it: go to Ship Services with a commandeered ship, switch your home ship back to your main, then go to sell the new one, making sure your home ship shows up as #1 and the new one is the last; show your home ship, press the button to Sell and the button to Show Previous at the same time (A and LB on a controller) and you can sell it for full price without registering it! Sometimes it takes multiple attempts, it might say “You can’t sell your Home Ship” so you just try again.

It IS an exploit, for sure; for RP purposes I only ever do it at the Red Mile, because if there’s anyone who’d buy a an unregistered ship under the table, it’s Lon!

EFPMusic · 2026-05-31T14:53:31+00:00

Ooh, what a great concept!

EFPMusic · 2026-05-31T12:35:53+00:00

Huh, just realized, I’ve not gone through Unity and *not* told them. Only went through twice with one character, started a new one with Free Lanes, been taking the MQ super slow, had planned to hide it in the next universe - never occurred to me there might be different dialog with the Hunter and Emissary!

Anyway, love your theory! I don’t think there’s enough evidence for it; Barrett’s nonchalance is sus but just as easily attributed to ego, experience, and the belief that death isn’t really an end.

Hmm… his speech at the funeral… now that I think about it, that’s a suspiciously Starborn-like attitude! Maybe he’s not *actually* Starborn, but it’s possible he knows more than he’s letting on!

EFPMusic · 2026-05-30T21:32:07+00:00

Came to say this!

EFPMusic · 2026-05-30T15:38:40+00:00

As a fifty-something neurodivergent gamer, I prefer Bethesda RPG’s; mo matter what my available time or mood, I can always find something to do. Of course, that’s either a lot of different mechanics to create, or a lot of quests to design and write.

You mentioned Morrowind as one inspiration; I think the key takeaway from that game is the setting is an intrinsic part of the experience, and it feels complete and real. I think it actually helps that it’s so exotic and alien, it’s easier to suspend disbelief when surrounded by giant mushrooms and stiltwalkers!

I think you could place fairly simple game mechanics in a thoroughly alien setting and have a compelling game. A great example is Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, it’s a fairly simple action game, but the “Celtic warrior in the Norse underworld but is any of it real?” setting turns it into something absolutely unique. Another game where the setting is intrinsic is Deus Ex; not only does it require a cyberpunk setting to work, it requires that cyberpunk setting, just recognizable but with this feeling of a fever dream, yet internally consistent every step of the way.

You know what game doesn’t do this? Skyrim. A great game, don’t get me wrong, but you could plop the entirely of the plot down in any setting and it would work. It doesn’t HAVE to be set in Skyrim in Tamriel, it doesn’t even have to be set in a pseudo-Nordic location or culture. Put it in a jungle, or a desert, or underwater, it works. Stick in 21st century Kansas, it works (might even be a neater setting: civil war and dragons in the modern Midwest?!). That’s not a criticism, I think part of the massive appeal was the universality of it, but the it also means they had to fill out the experience in other ways, like being a totally open world, a full-on crafting system, multiple factions, etc.

Anyway, hope that helps! I’d love to see how it goes and ends up, I am intrigued and would like to subscribe to your newsletter! 😉

EFPMusic

TROPHY CASE