HOME TAPING IS KILLING MUSIC, PART 18,458

[defrog]

UPDATE: Remember that documentary from Music Industry Piracy Investigations (MIPI), the anti-piracy wing of the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), showing Australian music artists saying, “Please don’t steal our music, we need the money”?

Turns out one of them now claims he was quoted out of context and misled on how the interview footage would be used.

Frenzal Rhomb guitarist Lindsay McDougall says he was told the 10-minute film, which is being distributed for free to all high schools in Australia, was about trying to survive as an Australian musician and no one mentioned the video would be used as part of an anti-piracy campaign.

"I would never be part of this big record industry funded campaign to crush illegal downloads,” he says. “I'm not like Lars Ulrich. I think it's bullshit, I think it's record companies crying poor and I don't agree with it."

A spokesperson for MIPI replies she has no idea what Mr McDougall is talking about, and wonders if he’s actually watched the video, which only actually mentions downloading for a minute or so.

Yeah, well, I have watched it (it’s available here), and while many of the artists don’t specifically mention downloads and talk more about what a struggle it is to make a living in the business (which is probably more true if yr on Fat Wreck Chords like Frenzal Rhomb than if yr on a major label like The Veronicas, but whatever), it’s fairly obvious that the message of the video is: “It’s hard enough for artists to make money – if you download stuff for free or burn CDs for yr friends, yr part of the problem”.

Also, MIPI is pushing for the doc to be included in school units related to copyright and file sharing. So clearly they have an agenda with this video.

I’d say McDougall is right to be outraged. I’ll be interested to see if any of the other artists (who couldn’t be reached for comment) come back with similar stories.

Out of context,

This is dF

EDITED TO ADD [a few hours later]: One thing I forgot to mention – if you go to the site where the official video is hosted and read the list of artists thanked for their input, you'll notice Lindsay Strutt McDougall and Frenzal Rhomb are no longer mentioned.

EDITED TO ADD [May 3]: Lindsay Strutt isn't mentioned, of course, because she's a Page 3 model, not the guitarist for Frenzel Rhomb. God knows where that typo came from. Cheers to drhoz fo the correction.

Comments

[jasonfranks.livejournal.com]

Frenzal Rhomb have been independent punk rock mainstays for nearly 2 decades now, I think, and I was a buit sad to see them on the doco. Thank you, Lindsay!

-- JF

[def-fr0g-42.livejournal.com]

I admit I was a bit surprised to see their name on the list. This explains a lot.

Also, I forgot to mention, if you go to the web site where the doc is hosted, you'll notice that Lindsay and Frenzal Rhomb are no longer listed in the "thanks" list below the video (if they ever were).

[drhoz.livejournal.com]

Lindsay Strutt?

[def-fr0g-42.livejournal.com]

Um, sorry, I was thinking of the Page 3 model. [OHWHATAGIVEAWAY!]