I Will Speak. You Will Listen.

[NMX]

More from the Music Column That Doesn't Exist...

 

A couple of days ago I found myself browsing the new releases at a local music store. To my delight, I spotted one new release in particular - the Tea Party's latest album, Seven Circles. Said delight would turn out to be rather short lived, however.

 

Now, I absolutely love the Tea Party - I've been a fan of theirs for years and think they're just all kinds of spiffy. Normally, this would make for an obvious buy (hence the initial delight). But after having a chance to give the CD's outer package a look while waiting in line to make my purchase, I spotted something that completely turned me (if not my stomach) around.

 

"This disc contains Copy Control technology... ...On some equipment (for example car CD players) playback problems may be encountered."

 

Maybe there are people who wouldn't have a problem with the above statement. Maybe there are people who are willing to take what they're PAYING for in whatever form Those Selling It FEEL like giving it to them in. But I for one refuse to be told where I can or can't enjoy an item that I've paid for out of My Own Wallet. An album that can't be played in my car is of no use to me at all, so I left the line and put it back.

 

Yeah, I love the Tea Party. I also love my rights as a Paying Consumer, which these people releasing the band's music aren't respecting.

 

Of course, this Copy Control technology that causes problems in playing CDs on certain machines is all part of the Music Industry's latest plot to thwart people from infringing on their rights and copying the music. What they fail to realize is that in rabidly inflicting their own rights, they're raping the Paying Consumer of theirs. Should we be allowed to make copies of music? Well, that's another argument for another day. But surely we should be allowed something as simple as listening to music we've paid for on our cars' CD players on the way to wherever it is we go in the mornings.

 

Apparently the Music Industry has decided it will pick and choose which rights are valid and which rights shall be ignored. In this case, all of their rights are the Valid Ones and all of yours are the Ones That Shall Be Ignored. Sleep tight with that little tidbit, as well as the likeliness that it's only going to get worse.

 

The one part about all of this that doesn't infuriate me, but instead amuses me, is the fact that in their attempts to drive more people back to buying albums, the Music Industry is only driving more people away. I know I certainly won't be buying anything with this technology on it. I'll walk every time, just as I did this time. Apologies to the Tea Party - I really was looking forward to that album.

 

And indeed, it is the bands that I feel sorry for. If I were them I'd be pretty f*cking embarrassed to have myself associated with people so willing to deliver crotch shots to the very people who have showed support and contributed to said bands' success. Hell, I think I'd be more than just embarrassed - If I were them I think I'd want to get up and Change Something.

[1846D7M8]

Amen!

[Brian Langlois]

That's pretty ridiculous. How is anyone going to copy a CD using their CAR STEREO? I too really only listen to CDs in my car, and that would be toatlly useless to me. I don't mind certian forms of copy protection, but if you can't even hear what they are trying to protect then what is the point? I'm not big on piracy and I do think that the record industry has some valid points, but their tactics are out of line and stupid. It does come down to rights though: They have the right to release their material however they see fit and consumers have the right NOT TO BUY IT.