Let the Bells Ring, Let the Angels Sing, Let Me Annoy You With Sound As Well As Text
OK, stick with me. I'm trying to make it so that I can post audio files to the blog. If successful, we're really through the looking glass here. So, for the test run, I'm posting the Fiona Apple song mentioned in an earlier post below. Click it. See if it works. If it does, rejoice.
Oh Well - Fiona Apple
(OK, I just went and tested it, and it seemed to work. Hmm. First, I imagine I won't keep files up for a long time. Maybe a week or so and then take them down. This should serve as added inspiration -- as if you needed it -- to keep current with the blog. Secondly, I'll try not to let this capability tempt me into making this an even more music-centric endeavor. Thirdly, should I be worried about Fiona Apple's lawyers paying me a visit? I mean, not physically worried, because I imagine they're spindly people. But otherwise worried? Several of you are lawyers, even non-spindly ones; can you either reassure me or, alternately, serve as my counsel?)
Oh Well - Fiona Apple
(OK, I just went and tested it, and it seemed to work. Hmm. First, I imagine I won't keep files up for a long time. Maybe a week or so and then take them down. This should serve as added inspiration -- as if you needed it -- to keep current with the blog. Secondly, I'll try not to let this capability tempt me into making this an even more music-centric endeavor. Thirdly, should I be worried about Fiona Apple's lawyers paying me a visit? I mean, not physically worried, because I imagine they're spindly people. But otherwise worried? Several of you are lawyers, even non-spindly ones; can you either reassure me or, alternately, serve as my counsel?)
posted by JMW at 10:56 PM
2 Comments:
I'm a lawyer, but ... you know ... not really smart. So my answer is, I have no idea.
Here's my armchair, unprofessional analysis: Offering music downloads appears to be generally frowned upon by the music industry. However, offering to let people listen to your music (like on the radio) appears to be generally allowed.
Heck, the Grateful Dead appear to be cracking down on internet downloads:
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&pubid=968163964505&cid=1133391012264&col=968705925735&call_page=TS_Entertainment&call_pageid=968867495754&call_pagepath=A&E/News
"Free Love = good. Free drugs = good. Free music = harshing my mellow."
Here's a blog that offers music a la the radio:
http://www.planetdan.net/blog/
If you're troubled by the subject, you can probably shoot Dan an email or leave him a comment and see what he has to say.
My thought is that you're probably fine doing whatever you want. Music people don't have the time or money to pay lawyers to go after every website that has music on it. And I think the music industry realizes that they benefit from "illegal" downloading, if done in moderation.
But if a) you start to get thousands of downloads an hour; or b) you get a letter from a music executive and/or a lawyer, you may want to shut it down.
However, even if this is against the law, there are enough websites that do it -- offer downloads and radio-type music, as well as tv shows (clips and whole), movies (ibid.), movie trailers, etc -- and given the relatively small size of this blog, I'm guessing that no one will even notice. But even if they do, they're almost certainly going to give you an opportunity to take the music down before taking any kind of action against you.
If you're really worried, I can do some research. Just let me know.
-- The Comish (sic)
I'm not that worried. You and Dezmond have reassured me -- a little bit.
I take heart in two things: First, I think you can only listen to my songs, not rip them, burn them, etc. So that's good. Secondly, I have no assets, so I'm not a very tasty target. I mean, I have a Metrocard that's good through December 23 (unlimited bus and subway rides!) Value of that is probably around $60 (was $74 when I bought it). And of course I have lots of CDs. So unless Fiona's lawyers want to get around NYC (for the next three weeks) and get...Fiona CDs, I think I'm in the clear.
But what's this about "the relatively small size of this blog"? If you have something to say, Anonymous Law-Talking Guy, come out and say it. I can count at least seven regular readers of this thing, and at least five of them aren't blood relations of mine. Beat that!!
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