Metallica - Interview Canceled After Pirate Bay Row
It seems that no matter how hard they try, Metallica will continue to make anti-piracy headlines. After their bloody battle with Napster years ago, they were determined to keep calm when their latest album, 'Death Magnetic', inevitably hit the torrents. This time, Metallica's Lars Ulrich shocked everyone by saying: "If this thing leaks all over the world today or tomorrow, happy days. It's 2008 and it's part of how it is these days."
Despite this effort, it hasn't taken long for people to start a dispute over piracy. According to a report, Metallica's label, Universal Music, canceled an interview the band had planned with the Swedish newspaper Sydsvenskan last week, after a writer there, Jonn Jeppsson, sparked off an anti-piracy row featuring him and The Pirate Bay.
Instead of reviewing the official version of the album, Jeppsson used an unauthorized cut called "Death Magnetic: Better, Shorter, Cut", which contains the same songs as the original, but shortened. If reviewing an unofficial copy wasn't enough, Mr Jeppson clearly enraged Universal when he admitted in his review that he downloaded his copy off The Pirate Bay.
Metallica's label Universal was not pleased, to say the least. Talking with Dagens Media, Universal Sweden's Per Sundin said: "The reviewer is referring to a torrent where someone has altered the original songs. The reviewer explains exactly where one should go in order to download the file that is totally infringing copyright. It's not only an illegal file, but an altered file. The reviewer also writes that this is how the album should have sounded."
Hinting that Universal may stop sending promo material for Sydsvenskan to review he ends: "We live in symbiosis with each other and we send them our artists' record for free for review. But if they download the albums illegally instead, then there's no point in doing that."
Despite this effort, it hasn't taken long for people to start a dispute over piracy. According to a report, Metallica's label, Universal Music, canceled an interview the band had planned with the Swedish newspaper Sydsvenskan last week, after a writer there, Jonn Jeppsson, sparked off an anti-piracy row featuring him and The Pirate Bay.
Instead of reviewing the official version of the album, Jeppsson used an unauthorized cut called "Death Magnetic: Better, Shorter, Cut", which contains the same songs as the original, but shortened. If reviewing an unofficial copy wasn't enough, Mr Jeppson clearly enraged Universal when he admitted in his review that he downloaded his copy off The Pirate Bay.
Metallica's label Universal was not pleased, to say the least. Talking with Dagens Media, Universal Sweden's Per Sundin said: "The reviewer is referring to a torrent where someone has altered the original songs. The reviewer explains exactly where one should go in order to download the file that is totally infringing copyright. It's not only an illegal file, but an altered file. The reviewer also writes that this is how the album should have sounded."
Hinting that Universal may stop sending promo material for Sydsvenskan to review he ends: "We live in symbiosis with each other and we send them our artists' record for free for review. But if they download the albums illegally instead, then there's no point in doing that."
| torrentfreak.com | |
| Band profile: | Metallica |
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Comments: 50
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| Introspekrieg Totemic Lust Elite Posts: 2747  |
It is definitely Better and Shorter, the Cut is a good move. They should release it officially.
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| DrunkenFuck Thrasher! Posts: 455  |
I think it's fair. I mean, it's not Metallica themselves, it's Universal who wouldn't allow the interview. I think the album is fantastic! Not that anyone cares I guess.
---- THRASH!!!
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| Asitis Posts: 201  |
Written by DrunkenFuck on 15.09.2008 at 11:19 Yeah probably, an opinion about a band like Metallica is different for anyone, and it's mission impossible to find someone that'll just agree (or disagree for that matter) with you, without a stupid discussion :+ I don't like Metallica-discussions and yet I'm gonna provoke everyone reading this: Load is there best album ever! Ha!
---- The silent moment, right before the dusk fades away I open my eyes, but the darkness stays
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| Holy_Diver Posts: 32 |
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| Dark Blood The Avenger Posts: 1435  |
That reviewer was so damn stupid.. I'm with Universal Music label and Metallica this time. Actually who is stupid enough to publish a review and say that he downloaded a pirate copy? That was totally unnecessary.
---- It is humanity who must pay homage to the greatness of the Universe... not the Universe to the human narcissism. 
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| Enissa Posts: 815  |
Yeah, that was such an idiot thing to do that Reviewer head is not working propely, Somehow a fuse got exploded or something!!! But who the hell would Shorten the album, such an aweful thing to do?!
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| DrunkenFuck Thrasher! Posts: 455 |
Written by Enissa on 15.09.2008 at 15:22 Yeah, I think the length of the songs are pretty good 
---- THRASH!!!
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| WorpeX Made of Metal Posts: 1348  |
The only song on the album that needs shortening is suicide and redemption. >.< I agree with metallica on this one, idiotic reviewer. Hope he gets fired.
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| MetalManic Posts: 624  |
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| Syk myspace/bonerama Posts: 1504  |
Well, maybe if they stopped writing bad, long-ass songs for no reason... lol
---- death ? thrash ? death/doom/prog ? Hail Zoldon! he's not the kind you have to wind up on Sundays
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| Spyroid Rosetta Stoned Posts: 1023  |
Written by Holy_Diver on 15.09.2008 at 13:19 If nobody bought CD's there would be no new albums. I don't understand how you reason at all.
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| Syk myspace/bonerama Posts: 1504 |
Written by Spyroid on 15.09.2008 at 17:35You're forgetting all the wonderful bands who make music available for free... because they rely on other skills to earn them a day job. Alternatively (but parallelishly), perhaps with reduced purchases (as we have already seen to some extent) the scum of the major labels will realize they can't just pawn off albums of shit for the prices they are these days (/small number of years ago)Written by Holy_Diver on 15.09.2008 at 13:19If nobody bought CD's there would be no new albums. I don't understand how you reason at all.
---- death ? thrash ? death/doom/prog ? Hail Zoldon! he's not the kind you have to wind up on Sundays
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| ponderer Posts: 153  |
I work hard for my money and I'm not about to flush it down the toilet gambling on whether or not an album will be good or not. Screw that. I'll download whatever the hell I want and decide what's worth buying and what isn't. Metallica hasn't produced fuckall since the death of Cliff Burton so if they want some money, they are going to have start selling something else, not their "music".
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| juanopereira Posts: 268  |
I'm against piracy, but in my country the original albums are so expensive that I don't feel guilty downloading them. Anyway, I have a lot of original CDs and I think I'll make an effort to buy this one.
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| Metal Maiden Megadead Posts: 352  |
Hahahahaha, can they get any lamer...  Written by ponderer on 15.09.2008 at 18:38 Couldn't have said it better... 
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| GT Coffee!! Staff Posts: 5101  |
Written by Dark Blood on 15.09.2008 at 14:57 Totally agree with the above
----  Dreams are made so we don't get bored when we sleep
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| Spyroid Rosetta Stoned Posts: 1023 |
Written by Syk on 15.09.2008 at 18:17 Maybe some people can't rely on multiple skills? You mean doctors should give away their services for free and have an extra jobb to earn their money, just because medicine is so expensive? Okay, I can admit that CD's are expensive and that most major lables seem greedy, but what do you suppose Metallica and other really, really big bands should do? Change to a smaller lable? That lable would probably grow big (and probably greedy?) quite fast. Just because a band is world famous and the members are rich as hell I don't think you should steal from them more than from any other band. People who are rich, or at least metal bands(!), usually deserved their money. Maybe they've just been lucky, but I don't think that is a reason to steal their money either. And there has got to be both rich, even richer and poor people in the world. At least based upon the world I believe in. Way off topic now but I had to get that out someday.
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| totaliteraliter Posts: 656  |
Seems dumb to cancel the interview, since the reviewer basically acted like a regular person and didn't lie about it. It boggles the mind that the band/label thinks this sends any kind of positive message to fans. Written by Spyroid on 15.09.2008 at 19:52 Who is stealing Metallica's money?
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| Jiri Posts: 709  |
At least Metallica aren't the assholes this time around. And that reviewer is a knucklehead!
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| Spyroid Rosetta Stoned Posts: 1023 |
Written by totaliteraliter on 15.09.2008 at 20:10 People who download their music.
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| totaliteraliter Posts: 656 |
Written by Spyroid on 15.09.2008 at 21:08 They aren't stealing their money so much as stealing their ability to trick people into buying an album they wouldn't like. Sounds like a good thing to me.
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| iMorphball Posts: 279  |
Written by Spyroid on 15.09.2008 at 21:08 We're not stealing it, we're simply not giving them any >_>
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| Dangerboner Lactation Cnslt Posts: 7262  |
Looks like the site got a good deal of promotion thanks to Metallica 
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| Symmachus Posts: 2002 |
Jonn Jeppsson is a douche! Screw torrents! Screw abridgements! Screw downloads! Jonn Jeppsson = 
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| LeChron James Helvetesfossen Posts: 3561  |
hahahahaha thats hella funny.
---- Kick Ass, Die Young Less is More Stay Pure Stay Poor Music was my life, music brought me to life and music is how I will be remembered long after I leave this life. When I die there will be a final waltz in my head that only I can hear.
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| Doc G. Full Grown Hoser Staff Posts: 9718  |
Written by Symmachus on 16.09.2008 at 00:06 Yeah, agreed. If you want to download illegally, fine, your problem (Im a huge anti-downloader). But if its your profession to review an album then you shouldn't be pulling that shit. But its good to see the record company is doing their job instead of leaving it up to the band to take care of that business.
---- "I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck." - George Carlin
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| Spyroid Rosetta Stoned Posts: 1023 |
Written by totaliteraliter on 15.09.2008 at 23:46 Who said they're tricking people? And how? The whole albums been able for streaming officially. So is it the same with all albums then?
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| Spyroid Rosetta Stoned Posts: 1023 |
Written by iMorphball on 15.09.2008 at 23:46 So if you go to a supermarket and take all the food you want without paying, that isn't stealing?
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| totaliteraliter Posts: 656 |
Written by Spyroid on 16.09.2008 at 00:44 Personally I don't see much of a difference between listening to a stream and downloading an album. Certainly not to the point where I want to cheer on the millionaire bands and labels over the fans... Written by Spyroid on 16.09.2008 at 00:44 Non sequitur. Stealing physical property creates an obvious and demonstrable negative effect on the owner of that property - they have lost something that has value. Downloading music is completely different, as a property with value has absolutely not been lost in some cases (and is impossible to prove in others). It's easy to see the world in black and white, but you're just lying to yourself. If you wish for further discussion on this topic I would gladly engage you in this thread.
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| vapotrini2 Posts: 16 |
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