Band Frontman Wants to Strangle File-Sharer
Written by enigmax on March 19, 2007Maxïmo Park’s latest album was leaked onto BitTorrent, a full month ahead of its official launch. Now, band frontman Paul Smith has told the BBC that he’s remaining philosphical: he knows he can’t stop it but he still wants to strangle the file-sharer who pre-released the album.
UK indie band Maxïmo Park formed in 2003 and in 2004 released a single called ‘Graffiti’; not on CD but on 7″ vinyl, several generations of technology behind their current problem: their second album being pre-released onto digital file-sharing networks.
The band’s second album “Our Earthly Pleasures” on Warp Records is not due for official release until April 2nd but has been available on torrent sites for some weeks.
Speaking to the BBC’s 6Music channel, Smith said “I’d like to strangle the person who did it” and with an air of inevitability continued “part of me says this is the way it happens these days.”
It appears that Mr Smith does have a point. Things like this do seem to happen a lot.
A resigned Smith said “People are online and searching it out and seeking it, and you can’t do much about it. I’m philosophical about it.”
Mr Smith will be comforted to know that the album X&Y by Coldplay was also pre-released and subsequently went straight to the top of the charts in 20 countries, including the UK (464,000 copies) and the US (737,000 copies) simultaneously, a feat matched only by a Beatles compilation in 2000.
Maxïmo Park are holding their album launch party in their home town of Newcastle on April 2nd. They should expect a lot of people to be singing along.
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8 Responses (Add yours or TrackBack)
I love Maxïmo Park.
I first started listening to them over a year ago when i heard one of their songs on the radio. I immediately downloaded the single, then bought their album then CD singles and Vinyls.
Although Paul Smith’s comments does make me feel slightly terrible, i bought Maxïmo’s music because their previous work was available via Bittorrent and bought hardcopies because of it.
I don’t understand this…if the new album is done, why not start selling it straight away instead of making everyone wait a month in which time it is very likely to be leaked?
whack!
@#2
because in this month it is out there already to be “tried before bought”.
Why only give a few DJ’s promotional copies, if you as an intelligent artist can have the free promotion of exposure to possibly millions over millions of potential new loyal fans that will hear from a band the first time this modern 21st century way?!
Could it be, if he would be consequent about what he said on public radio, that he must strangle the PR guy from his indie label? ;-)
*starts to initiates some seaches now for something he never heard before* (and of course will ask RIAAradar to make sure that a possible money giving would not go into a poket that sues fileshares. Lets hope for this artist the company that sells physical objects of his creative work isn’t a RIAA member!)
update:
OK, DLspeed was good (0.0 kB/s (avg. 85.0 kB/s)), Riaaradar.com gives a green “safe!” too; looks like at least one (1) sale will happen that wouldn’t have had without the help of this 21st century distribution system named p2p!
P.S. in case artist was serious about commiting crimes, maybe he should read this:
http://www.limewire.org/blog/?p=175
Amy and I have been best friends since the day we were born 21
p.s birdzrdthl
p.p.s edyg8r7fh987erhfs8v
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