RIAA Reminds Me of The Mafia, says Musician
Written by enigmax on February 23, 2008Former Dead Kennedys vocalist Jello Biafra has torn into the RIAA, likening them to the mafia, threatening to leave a horse’s head in the beds of old women and children alike, whilst destroying the education of student file-sharers. Don’t even get him started on the media: “Goebbels would be proud” he said.
Born Eric Reed Boucher in 1958, Jello Biafra is no stranger to controversy. He first became well known as songwriter and lead vocalist with the band Dead Kennedys. The band split in 1986 but 1998 saw the start of a six year battle over the royalties to the band’s music. No doubt this was a miserable experience, so maybe Biafra’s outburst this week was to be expected.
In a translated interview with Norway’s Aftenposten entitled “Goebbels Would Be Proud”, Biafra tells us a little bit about how he feels about the RIAA, big record labels and even the media. He isn’t pulling any punches either.
“I have two different opinions on file-sharing” says Biafra, drawing a metaphorical line in the sand - with good (small labels) on one side, and bad (big labels) on the other.
“You may take from the big labels,” he orders, “because the only thing they do is steal from both the artists and the audience.” Not many would disagree with you there, Jello.
The ‘good’ side are the small guys, explains Biafra to potential file-sharers: “Don’t take from the smaller, independent labels. Then fantastic bands would have to surrender way too early, because they can’t afford it,” he says, whilst completely forgetting that popularity fills concerts and downloads are a good way to achieve that these days. According to MAMA Group who manage the Kaiser Chiefs and Franz Ferdinand, future profit is there to be unlocked - and it lies in the live concert. Popularity through free downloads could be the key to these, time will tell.
“Support the independent labels, but the big ones –fuck’em. Anyways, I haven’t found anything in many years which come from a large label worth buying” says Biafra, as he tosses aside his attacks on singular big labels and gets his teeth into the collective might of the RIAA:
“The RIAA reminds me most of the Godfather,” Biafra says, tipping his head to the side and changing his voice to Marlon Brando mode:
“We will sue you. If you want out of this without going to court, we can make an arrangement: Give us $5000. If not, you will find a horses head in your bed.”
Suddenly he is back to being Jello Biafra again, and talks about why RIAA action against file-sharers is wrong: “They are doing this to 12 year old girls, they are doing it to 80 year old women, and they do it to students. There are plenty of examples that show people having to quit school because they had to give all their money to the recording industry instead,” he says gravely.
Biafra then explains that he doesn’t do any downloading himself as he doesn’t have a computer before launching himself at the media: “It’s so dumb, that even the American edition of CNN is just a bunch of right-twisted parrots babbling about the primary elections, letting the war in Iraq pass in silence. Then it is up to the artists to fill the void.”
Then, in a final show of support for the small guy, Biafra concludes: “When smaller performers express their political views they are gagged. But when Mel Gibson or Arnold Schwarzenegger does it, then it’s okay. Because they fit better into the media profile.”
“Goebbels would be proud.”
For those who haven’t seen it yet, here’s a RIAA training video, that may give some insight into the organization.
Many thanks to Håvard
Previously: SXSW 2008 on BitTorrent: 3.5 GB of Free Music
Next: Mininova: Serving Billions of Torrents and Buying Bugattis
57 Responses (Add yours or TrackBack)
Pages: « 1 [2] 3 » Show All
[quote comment="296282"]burrito
Ohh maah gawwdz torrents are for lamers!
We all better stop downloading![/quote]
I’m soooo lame. And rather proud of it.
Some more translation:
“I don’t download music myself, I don’t even own a computer and I don’t see why I should have one. What am I goint to use it to? Whatch porn? My imagination is way to good for that”.
HAHA!
everyone take a look at the riaa training video… it’s sick!
watch it here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=O2DwTWJNk-k
haha…
So.. I guess I’m a terrorist :D
That video made me laugh pretty good. hahahaha
I honestly don’t see why you have to insert an anti-record buying message in the middle of this. I know shows are what pays the bills for most bands, but if everyone thinks like this there will be no small labels left. I.e. no one to help the unknown band record their first single or album. Instead we will only get a band’s half-decent demo on myspace, and you will have to sift through eons of pure crap to find the good stuff. And listen for the good stuff through bad recordings; listen for potential, not good music per se. That’s not my idea of a good time. That’s removing something bad and putting something worse in its place. I download music, but I also buy 12″ singles, LPs and CDs because I like it. Use the RIAA Radar and be selective.
And remember:
Small labels are not the enemy. Small labels are not the enemy. Small labels are not the enemy. Repeat until you get it.
this is the outlook i take on music piracy
i download from big labels, because they’re the bands that are gonna sell out massive venues, and get millions of record sales.
smaller bands wont be able to do that, so i buy from them
Pretty much sam said. I’ve been looking for albums from my state cause they do a battle of the band bit through this one radio station. but its been impossible finding it. A lot of good bands just waiting to break out.
[quote comment="296400"]I honestly don’t see why you have to insert an anti-record buying message in the middle of this. I know shows are what pays the bills for most bands, but if everyone thinks like this there will be no small labels left. I.e. no one to help the unknown band record their first single or album. Instead we will only get a band’s half-decent demo on myspace, and you will have to sift through eons of pure crap to find the good stuff. And listen for the good stuff through bad recordings; listen for potential, not good music per se. That’s not my idea of a good time. That’s removing something bad and putting something worse in its place. I download music, but I also buy 12″ singles, LPs and CDs because I like it. Use the RIAA Radar and be selective.
[/quote]
that is why i use bottorrent to try before i buy
before filesharing my only option was to buy and cry … that left the artists i like minus my full support because i was wasting cash on crap
Holiday in Cambodia with enigmax is an excellent option, well done dude for a song well on key
“he says, whilst completely forgetting that popularity fills concerts and downloads are a good way to achieve that these days.”
what is this, journalism 1?
[quote comment="296142"]Lol, great new slogan for them.
“The RIAA, Goebbels would be proud”[/quote]
Fail!
Jello Biafra: 0
Godwin’s Law: 1
I am supported the Indies and actually I am bying CDs form indies only!
Why?
1) This is way better quality that mp3.
2) This is way shiper thant ther big label crap.
3) I know than by bying the Cds the artists are supported well (mOst indies pay their artist 50% of their profit!)
4) Some indies publish in Audio DVD format too way better that CD (that sound kind of harsh sometime) while MP3 is litteraly left in the dust as far as sond quality is concerned.
5) I want great music with great technical quality in the recording.
6) I don’t need Britney slut or Madonna Crap!
I am supported the Indies and actually I am bying CDs form indies only!
Why?
1) This is way better quality that mp3.
2) This is way shiper thant ther big label crap.
3) I know than by bying the Cds the artists are supported well (mOst indies pay their artist 50% of their profit!)
4) Some indies publish in Audio DVD format too way better that CD (that sound kind of harsh sometime) while MP3 is litteraly left in the dust as far as sond quality is concerned.
5) I want great music with great technical quality in the recording.
6) I don’t need Britney slut or Madonna Crap!
There’s no mention of magnatune.com
a shame, really.
it’s my favourite new thing.
This guy is a rehab failure drug addict. No news here. Move along.
He’s also bought the lie that sharing is stealing. Well it’s not, it’s free PR for small labels. If you are a small label and noone wants to pay for your stuff, maybe it’s not good enough? Adapt or die, that’s the truth!
MAFIAA - Music And Film Association of America.
I mean to throw an “industry” in there somewhere. >.>
[quote comment="296654"]This guy is a rehab failure drug addict. No news here. Move along.[/quote]
…and Karlfest is a fucking tool.
If you knew anything about him you would have known that Jello is a fairly outspoken ANTI drug person, with little to no history of drug use.
The Mafia or Canada Customs ?
[quote comment="296282"]burrito
Ohh maah gawwdz torrents are for lamers!
We all better stop downloading![/quote]
Yeah, sure, and you’re such a pro, kid. But wait… what are you doing here then? Run to your mommy and ask her to give you some $$$ to buy new CDs…
…while we’re enjoying our free lossless collections. ;-)
[quote comment="296151"][quote comment="296132"]Jello for prez. THAT would be awesome.
Completely off topic, but this will freak ANYone out, guaranteed.
How can he even think?
http://mindprod.com/image/people/cheneyhung.jpg/quote
Don’t worry about it, that’s just his colostomy bag! ;-)[/quote]
And there was me thinking it was his unfeasably-large ballbag:
http://members.lycos.co.uk/scaryduck/blog2/bustergonad.gif
4 references to this post
Pages: « 1 [2] 3 » Show All
Add your response