Where's my crystal ball got to?

As an artist manager, the changes in the music industry over the last 15 years - starting with the internet! - have made it a precarious place for musicians and related administrators to be able to make a living. I was horrified to hear hear of the advent and seemingly across-board implementation of the new wave of artist RAPE by record companies a/k/a the 360 deal, so this lifted my heart a little when I saw it today.

I know that despite all the black and pills and what-have-you I am ever the optimist at heart, and it's that part of me that desperately wants ideas like this to become a plausible way of raising revenue and releasing music for artists. Yes, it would do away with record companies for the most part, but distribution co's could suck up the talented people and those A&R peeps still worth their salt would still be seeking out these bright young things to push towards the venture capitalists. After all, that's really all a label is these days and the major's have been for quite some time, a bank.

I have thousands of dollars/pounds invested in artists that I've worked with in the past, maybe if they have the opportunity to sign this type of deal in the future I could claim my % then? Yes, I know I'm stupid for never collecting my just desserts, but unfortunately I was like the venture capitalist at the time. Maybe one day they'll pay off?

Maybe I should be speaking to people to set up something like this hear in Australia??? Yet again, maybe not as I usually dislike people with money ... just a thought though, hey?