#250598 - 28/02/2005 22:34
Boycotting the RIAA
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member
Registered: 11/08/2002
Posts: 188
Loc: Champaign, IL
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Just curious as to how many people here (if any) are boycotting the RIAA (by not buying CD's or music online) until they stop acting like idiots and suing people rather than just making their music available in a reasonable fashion for people to actually PAY for it? (i.e. I'm sure we'd be on a spending frenzy for the right non-DRM crippled MP3's if they were just available, right?) Check out http://www.boycott-riaa.com/ ... fun reading. -Ben
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#250599 - 28/02/2005 22:49
Re: Boycotting the RIAA
[Re: benjammin]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 14/01/2002
Posts: 2858
Loc: Atlanta, GA
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I'm not boycotting explicitly and have purched a few CDs and downloads in the last year, but it's such a pain messing with drm and my empeg that I have spent a lot more time looking at independent artists and websites like garageband.com where often they are available for free downloads.
I've also found in a lot of cases, that independent music is more interesting and origional- it's just difficult to find and weed out the crummy stuff.
_________________________
-Jeff
Rome did not create a great empire by having meetings; they did it by killing all those who opposed them.
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#250600 - 28/02/2005 23:04
Re: Boycotting the RIAA
[Re: JeffS]
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member
Registered: 11/08/2002
Posts: 188
Loc: Champaign, IL
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Quote:
but it's such a pain messing with drm and my empeg that I have spent a lot more time looking at independent artists and websites like garageband.com where often they are available for free downloads.
That's just it - it's a freakin PAIN to deal with what these schlubs are pushing. I considered iTunes until I found out I'd have to burn, then re-rip the songs I buy. Ya, sure, I own 'em. I can put 'em on a CD. But whiny little me wants to side-step the whole inconvenience thing. Oh - that and I have to join before I can ever see their list of available content. Idiots.
garageband.com?? Cool - I'll have to check them out...
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I've also found in a lot of cases, that independent music is more interesting and origional- it's just difficult to find and weed out the crummy stuff.
That's the problem with music in general. I have about 12 albums I'd like to buy - but don't know if they're worth it - and don't want to give the RIAA any money anyway until they stop suing 12-yr old girls. Yeesh.
I just get the feeling the rest of the world isn't paying any attention. So I thought I would ask.
What the RIAA needs is a donation site. Download all the songs you want - then pay us something you feel is appropriate for what you have. (go ahead, laugh.. a lot of this is togue in cheek - but hey, some great ideas start this way)
Seriously, suing your customers and raising prices and yada yada... not the way to make friends... let alone friends you want to have give you their money.
-Ben
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#250601 - 28/02/2005 23:37
Re: Boycotting the RIAA
[Re: benjammin]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 20/12/1999
Posts: 31597
Loc: Seattle, WA
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While noble in theory, in practice I'm unable to boycott the RIAA.
Because the only way I'd be able to do that, yet still hear all the music I want to hear, would be to steal it. And I'm not interested in doing that. Partly because I want to support the artists themselves (in whatever small way they get supported by CD purchases), and partly because pirated MP3s usually have lousy quality control.
Yeah, I think they're being hardheaded about it, and I think the record industry would be better served by business models that embrace the internet instead of fear it. But at the moment, the only way I'm going to hear new recordings by the artists I love is to buy the albums.
The RIAA is pretty much a monopoly at this point. So trying to boycott them would be like trying to boycott your local electric power company. Sure you can do it, but you'd have to be OK with being cold, dark, and lonely...
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#250602 - 28/02/2005 23:41
Re: Boycotting the RIAA
[Re: tfabris]
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addict
Registered: 11/11/2001
Posts: 552
Loc: Houston, TX
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Quote:
While noble in theory, in practice I'm unable to boycott the RIAA.
Speaking of, What did you think of the FBI Piracy warning label on the new Tori Amos CD?
_________________________
--Ben
78GB MkIIa, Dead tuner.
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#250603 - 28/02/2005 23:58
Re: Boycotting the RIAA
[Re: benjammin]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 23/09/2000
Posts: 3608
Loc: Minnetonka, MN
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I don't buy much that would be considered popular anymore so it's not hard to buycott labels that are RIAA members. Most of the bands that I like that are popular broke up long ago and I got all their albums before there were mp3s. I think there are more bands on small labels that aren't RIAA members than ones that are. If you only listen to mainstream radio stations they only play stuff from RIAA member labels. I do buy a few albums from RIAA members (latest weird al for instance)but most of them are not.
I don't really like online music stores except for finding new bands I like getting the actual cds instead. Like before the emusic change over I would download a bunch of stuff and when I founds bands I liked I would buy the cds. The new Napster to go service sounds great because I can fill a portable mp3 player and try out all the music they have at least music for 15 dollars a month. Someone just needs to make a decent player that supports it  . ( It's sure not any of these )
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#250604 - 01/03/2005 00:12
Re: Boycotting the RIAA
[Re: tfabris]
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member
Registered: 11/08/2002
Posts: 188
Loc: Champaign, IL
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Quote:
Because the only way I'd be able to do that, yet still hear all the music I want to hear, would be to steal it. And I'm not interested in doing that.
How about instead of not stealing it... just not buying it. Put on your website that you won't buy until they stop. By continuing to purchase, you're still funding the cause no matter how much you may not condone it.
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Partly because I want to support the artists themselves (in whatever small way they get supported by CD purchases), and partly because pirated MP3s usually have lousy quality control.
Ditto on supporting the artists. But I'd rather send them a check (if I even could) directly then have the majority of that CD purchase going towards legal funding in the suits against minors.
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The RIAA is pretty much a monopoly at this point. So trying to boycott them would be like trying to boycott your local electric power company. Sure you can do it, but you'd have to be OK with being cold, dark, and lonely...
Er, not quite the same. No electric, no heat/light/entertainment. The power companies are *regulated* monopolies. The RIAA isn't. There is a difference.
No CD's... well, there's still Radio, your current collection... Hanging at establishments that play music, free MP3 sites... etc...
Not buying a CD doesn't mean you'll never year music again.
But it will send a message to the people on high (or maybe "who are high") at the RIAA.
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#250605 - 01/03/2005 00:24
Re: Boycotting the RIAA
[Re: benjammin]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 05/01/2001
Posts: 4903
Loc: Detroit, MI USA
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By boycotting the RIAA, I'm the one that would help up hurting because I wouldn't be able to enjoy new music. While I buy fewer CDs than I used to, I think it's because I'm older. But I do go to a ton of concerts.
_________________________
Brad B.
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#250606 - 01/03/2005 00:47
Re: Boycotting the RIAA
[Re: benjammin]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 27/06/1999
Posts: 7058
Loc: Pittsburgh, PA
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Quote:
But it will send a message to the people on high (or maybe "who are high") at the RIAA.
Is your name Don Quixote?
The people on high aren't going to notice, and, to be honest, it's more important for me to listen to good music than to screw the RIAA, bastards that they are. If everyone on this BBS boycotted, they still wouldn't notice.
Your cause is noble, but you have to face the reality that the RIAA has us by the balls, they have the artists we want to hear, and we have to find ways to deal with them. My way of dealing with them involves returning copy protected CDs, buying online from allofmp3.com for marginal music that I don't feel is worth $12/CD, and, other more practical methods that still allow me to enjoy my music. I suggest you focus your energy on steps that will actually produce results, man. Write congressmen, support new distribution methods that give the consumer flexibility, and support artists that do their own releases on websites and outside the RIAA's vise-grips. But don't "boycott" them, you're wasting your time.
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#250607 - 01/03/2005 00:48
Re: Boycotting the RIAA
[Re: BAKup]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 27/06/1999
Posts: 7058
Loc: Pittsburgh, PA
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I just briefly noticed the FBI warning but didn't pay it any mind. Figured they were always there, and was eager to hear the new album. What did it say?
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#250608 - 01/03/2005 01:06
Re: Boycotting the RIAA
[Re: tonyc]
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addict
Registered: 11/11/2001
Posts: 552
Loc: Houston, TX
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I just briefly noticed the FBI warning but didn't pay it any mind. Figured they were always there, and was eager to hear the new album. What did it say?
Well, I didn't pay it much mind while I was putting it into my drive for ripping and encoding so I could play it on the Empeg. It's a good sized seal on the CD , and under it "FBI Anti-Piracy Warning: Unauthorized copying is punishable under federal law."
Oh, EAC had no problems reading the CD.
_________________________
--Ben
78GB MkIIa, Dead tuner.
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#250609 - 01/03/2005 01:16
Re: Boycotting the RIAA
[Re: BAKup]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 27/06/1999
Posts: 7058
Loc: Pittsburgh, PA
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Yeah, ripped fine for me too. I think the labels realize that copy-protected CDs are a non-starter in the ongoing back-and-forth between producer and consumer of musical entertainment.
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#250610 - 01/03/2005 01:31
Re: Boycotting the RIAA
[Re: BAKup]
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member
Registered: 11/08/2002
Posts: 188
Loc: Champaign, IL
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Quote:
Well, I didn't pay it much mind while I was putting it into my drive for ripping and encoding so I could play it on the Empeg. It's a good sized seal on the CD , and under it "FBI Anti-Piracy Warning: Unauthorized copying is punishable under federal law."
Nor should you pay any mind to it - What you did (ripping) is still considered fair use and is perfectly legal. I say "still" only because DRM will take a lot (if not all) of that away.
As for the other responses of "Oh, the RIAA is just to big" and that they wouldn't notice us anyway...
Wow. What a statement.
BTW, I do support artists who publish outside the RIAA and methods for new content distribution. (If I could just find some good ones... let's face it - a lot of the major offerings are a pain because of the limitations.) In the meantime, I just don't buy new music. I listen to the radio or some of the online streams. I make note of what songs I like... and keep tabs.
Keep in mind, if the RIAA has it's way (you should look into the Induce Act - http://www.eff.org ) fair use will go by-by.
THAT's something to get in a huff about.
-Ben
p.s. I did write my congressmen/women... in some cases, a couple of times. Very irritating. I won't get started on that now... you can tell some of them have been bought off already.
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#250611 - 01/03/2005 02:02
Re: Boycotting the RIAA
[Re: BAKup]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 20/12/1999
Posts: 31597
Loc: Seattle, WA
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Quote:
Speaking of, What did you think of the FBI Piracy warning label on the new Tori Amos CD?
Haven't bought that one yet. It's on my wish list, I'll probably do a big spurt of CD-buying at the beginning of next month after I get back from a convention in San Jose. I haven't heard anything off of it. Is it good? Does it take a different direction than Scarlet's Walk did?
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#250612 - 01/03/2005 02:59
Re: Boycotting the RIAA
[Re: tfabris]
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addict
Registered: 11/11/2001
Posts: 552
Loc: Houston, TX
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Quote:
Is it good? Does it take a different direction than Scarlet's Walk did?
She's meandering down the same path she went down with Scarlet's Walk, but after the first listen I prefer Scarlet's Walk more. I'm going to have to get it another chance or two, but so far nothing jumped out at me like several of the songs on SW did for me.
_________________________
--Ben
78GB MkIIa, Dead tuner.
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#250613 - 01/03/2005 03:52
Re: Boycotting the RIAA
[Re: BAKup]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 27/06/1999
Posts: 7058
Loc: Pittsburgh, PA
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I'll more or less agree. Sleeps with Butterflies is a memorable tune, 2 or 3 of the others have potential to be among her "A" material, but there are a couple filler tracks and a few real clunkers in there, something I haven't said since Strange Little Girls. Having said that, only listened through it twice, plenty of time for its stock to rise.
My hope is that for the next album she gives the boys in the band an album off and goes "back to basics" to just her and the piano/organ/harpsichord, with maybe a little string arrangement or something like the first two albums.
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#250614 - 01/03/2005 10:32
Re: Boycotting the RIAA
[Re: tonyc]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 10/06/1999
Posts: 5916
Loc: Wivenhoe, Essex, UK
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Quote:
The people on high aren't going to notice, and, to be honest, it's more important for me to listen to good music than to screw the RIAA, bastards that they are. If everyone on this BBS boycotted, they still wouldn't notice.
...and if they did notice they would just assume that the fall in sales was due to more people pirating music...
_________________________
Remind me to change my signature to something more interesting someday
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#250615 - 01/03/2005 11:49
Re: Boycotting the RIAA
[Re: BAKup]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 05/01/2001
Posts: 4903
Loc: Detroit, MI USA
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Quote:
Speaking of, What did you think of the FBI Piracy warning label on the new Tori Amos CD?
The re-release of NIN's Downward Spiral on 5.1 has this warning too. Worth every penny for the DVD version (no special DVD -A player needed).
_________________________
Brad B.
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#250616 - 01/03/2005 11:52
Re: Boycotting the RIAA
[Re: tonyc]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 05/01/2001
Posts: 4903
Loc: Detroit, MI USA
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Quote:
My hope is that for the next album she gives the boys in the band an album off and goes "back to basics" to just her and the piano/organ/harpsichord, with maybe a little string arrangement or something like the first two albums.
She is doing two tours to support this CD. One is with just her and the piano. Then, she'll follow that tour with another one that includes the band. My wife is one of those Tori nuts (her security guard knows my wife by name) and she too prefers the solo stuff. Even though I'm WAY burned out on Tori Amos, all of the television appearances she's made recently where it's just her and her piano sound great. Better than the CD.
I guess she has some book out too.
_________________________
Brad B.
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#250617 - 01/03/2005 15:00
Re: Boycotting the RIAA
[Re: BAKup]
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addict
Registered: 23/12/2002
Posts: 652
Loc: Winston Salem, NC
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Quote:
It's a good sized seal on the CD , and under it "FBI Anti-Piracy Warning: Unauthorized copying is punishable under federal law."
Every new CD that I have purchased this year has sported the warning/logo.
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#250618 - 01/03/2005 15:25
Re: Boycotting the RIAA
[Re: Cybjorg]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 12/11/2001
Posts: 7738
Loc: Toronto, CANADA
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Every new CD I've bought this year, I've previously downloaded. I'm getting too lazy to rip my own discs.  Usually I can find a very high-quality rip, about as good or better than I would have done myself. I wouldn't be surprised if the RIAA makes moves next to stop people from trading or buying/selling used CDs on eBay and other places. Bruno
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#250619 - 01/03/2005 16:11
Re: Boycotting the RIAA
[Re: benjammin]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 25/12/2000
Posts: 16706
Loc: Raleigh, NC US
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The real problem is that the RIAA effectively owns the output of the artists. I can understand that they need to recoup their expenses for CD production. (I don't buy the advertising thing. They only advertise artists that are already platinum sellers.) But the artists should be able to do whatever they want to with their music outside the realm of RIAA-produced CDs. They should be able to sell their music online directly to the consumer at whatever price they choose. Or press CDs of their own. But right now, they don't have that right. Despite the fact that they're also reimbursing the record companies for all the money that was loaned to them to record the album in the first place.
But what are you gonna do? It's them or (virtually) nothing.
_________________________
Bitt Faulk
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#250620 - 01/03/2005 16:35
Re: Boycotting the RIAA
[Re: benjammin]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 14/01/2002
Posts: 2858
Loc: Atlanta, GA
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Quote:
garageband.com?? Cool - I'll have to check them out...
You should- it's not that all of the best stuff rises to the top of the charts, but the stuff at the top is generally top quality- at least as good as what is put out by the RIAA. The system has its weaknesses, but it's far better than soundclick or the old mp3.com.
My most recent find is Enter The Haggis, who's style can only be described as "Celtic Bluegrass". I've ordered their full CD but it hasn't arrived yet (it took some work to find because they're a Canadien Band), but I've been listening to the two tracks I downloaded from GarageBand in heavy rotation on my empeg. What's cool about them is that their style is something you'd never hear on the radio. Currently their song "Another Round" is sitting at the top of both the country AND folk charts, yet they wear kilts and the lead singer has pink hair- that would never fly in "real" country music. Great tune though (and I don't normally care for country music).
Other groups I've found on GB that I like are Electric Folk, Niacin Flush (which I think is the worst band name ever) and Seventh Son (their song "Luck" is one of my personal favorites).
My only real frustration is that there isn't a "Contemporary Christian" category so it's difficult for me to find independent Christian music there- probably not something you'd be concerned about though.
Anyway, I've probably downloaded and purchased more music off of GB than I have in the stores recently. It's very easy for me to just download cuts I like (for bands that have downloads enabled) and put them into rotation on the empeg. Sometimes I forget I even did it and then a song comes up that really grabs me. If it happens often enough I'll go and buy the CD. Of course, not all bands have free downloads enabled (mine included- though we'll soon have some available on our website).
_________________________
-Jeff
Rome did not create a great empire by having meetings; they did it by killing all those who opposed them.
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#250621 - 01/03/2005 17:03
Re: Boycotting the RIAA
[Re: JeffS]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 15/08/2000
Posts: 4859
Loc: New Jersey, USA
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Enter The Haggis
Damn. What did I do to you that you want me to use up the last of my empeg space with another band's discography?!?
This seems to be an interesting intersection of a few different styles that I like. I am on conference calls at the moment, so I cannot listen to the tracks at the moment. But I am very confident that this will be added to my collection very soon.
Are you familiar with Tempest, The Morrigan, Boiled In Lead, New St. George or Broadside Electric?  Perhaps I can return the favor...
_________________________
Paul Grzelak
200GB with 48MB RAM, Illuminated Buttons and Digital Outputs
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#250622 - 01/03/2005 17:10
Re: Boycotting the RIAA
[Re: pgrzelak]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 20/12/1999
Posts: 31597
Loc: Seattle, WA
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Quote:
This seems to be an interesting intersection of a few different styles that I like.
... Topped off with one of the funniest band names I've seen in a while.
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#250623 - 01/03/2005 17:15
Re: Boycotting the RIAA
[Re: tfabris]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 15/08/2000
Posts: 4859
Loc: New Jersey, USA
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There is always Einstein's Little Homunculus... Seriously! I knew about them for a while. Actually a similar genre as the ones I was talking about above.
_________________________
Paul Grzelak
200GB with 48MB RAM, Illuminated Buttons and Digital Outputs
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#250624 - 01/03/2005 17:17
Re: Boycotting the RIAA
[Re: pgrzelak]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 14/01/2002
Posts: 2858
Loc: Atlanta, GA
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Quote:
This seems to be an interesting intersection of a few different styles that I like.
I hope you like it- frankly I've been blown away by their stuff and am VERY excited to get the CD in. The only thing I'll mention is that the song from their older CD that's posted on GB called "andromeda" is not nearly as good as their new stuff. But from GB and checking out clips on their site, everything I've heard from "Casualties of Retail" just sounds great.
Quote:
Are you familiar with Tempest, The Morrigan, Boiled In Lead or Broadside Electric? Perhaps I can return the favor...
Not any of them, but I'll be checking it all out very soon . . . To be honest, from a description I'd have never pictured ETH as a band I'd like- perhaps a new style of music is being opened to me now!
_________________________
-Jeff
Rome did not create a great empire by having meetings; they did it by killing all those who opposed them.
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#250625 - 01/03/2005 23:20
Re: Boycotting the RIAA
[Re: benjammin]
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old hand
Registered: 14/02/2002
Posts: 804
Loc: Salt Lake City, UT
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Quote:
p.s. I did write my congressmen/women... in some cases, a couple of times. Very irritating. I won't get started on that now... you can tell some of them have been bought off already.
I'd write my senator, but I highly doubt Orrin Hatch would listen.
_________________________
-Michael
#040103696 on a shelf
Mk2a - 90 GB - Red - Illuminated buttons
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#250626 - 03/03/2005 18:37
Re: Boycotting the RIAA
[Re: tfabris]
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addict
Registered: 24/08/1999
Posts: 564
Loc: TX
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I now buy music CDs only used or from the artist at concerts.
Even though the artist gets nothing when I buy a used CD, its not yet a criminal offense to purchase something used.
_________________________
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the chewtoy for the dog of Life
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