Dear Web Sheriff:
In the past week, I’ve heard from you twice. Both of your notices were posted in the comments section of my blog, which I assume you did as a warning to all bloggers and readers that you are out there and that you are watching. Fair enough. But please consider the following.
The first notice I received was on a review of The Kills’ “Midnight Boom.” Along with the review, I posted two live bootleg songs. You requested that I remove them. I did, because it is easier to do that than to argue about it, but I also sent you an e-mail asking you whether your view would change if you knew that I had not posted content from the album. Naturally, you did not respond.
As a result, I have deleted the album review and have deleted the album from my ongoing “Best of 2008” list. I will not consider the band for a best-of-the-year album, and I will not mention them favorably on this blog ever again. In fact, I got rid of the CD. I average 3,000 unique readers per day, and now none of them will hear about The Kills from me. It’s not a big deal, I know, just one little blogger. But I know at least one other blogger who won’t review the album based on your behavior. So congratulations, you won. The Kills will have less of a positive internet presence thanks to your involvement, and nothing you did helped stop material from the album getting illegally downloaded, because I did not offer material from the album to my readers.
The second notice I got from you was as follows:
WEB SHERIFF
Protecting Your Rights on the Internet
Tel 44-(0)208-323 8013
Fax 44-(0)208-323 8080
Hi BP,
On behalf of XL Recordings and Warner Bros Records, many thanks for plugging “Consolers Of The Lonely†and The Ranconteurs’ pioneering, ‘fans-first’ release concept … .. album officially comes-out-to-play tomorrow, so not long to wait !!
Regards & Happy Easter,
WEB SHERIFF
I was ignorant of the fact that the band had signed with a major label, so shame on me, but your message is baffling. What is the purpose of this comment? You didn’t ask me (because WB doesn’t own the copyright) to take down the live songs I’d put up, so it wasn’t a threat, but you can’t honestly expect the blog community to appreciate a comment like this, can you?
I’m probably going to delete the Raconteurs post I did, just because it doesn’t sit right to have a post on my blog about a band that Big Brother is so aggressively protecting.
But can you answer me this: What is your goal? Do you want bloggers like me to never write about bands on major labels? Because if that is your goal, fine! I can happily do that. I rarely write about such bands (at least not knowingly), and I fully understand the RIAA and related organizations desires to keep their music as a commodity, not allowing any free sharing of content, even single songs. I understand and respect it, even if I think it is a short-sighted business plan.
I just want to know, really, honestly, what is your goal with the comment you made on the Raconteurs post? Are you warning me to shut down my blog?
I don’t expect a response from you, but I’d appreciate one.
And I know you are watching.
