In an extraordinary, but not unfamiliar move, the rock legend Prince is using an army of lawyers to launch attacks on his own fans.
Several of the largest web communities dedicated to the artist have received notices to cease and desist all use of photographs, images, lyrics, album covers and anything linked to Prince’s likeness.
It is our opinion that these threats are not made in an attempt to enforce valid copyright as Prince alleges in his threats, rather we believe they are attempts to stifle all critical commentary about Prince. We strongly believe that such actions are in violation of the freedom of speech and should not be allowed. Prince claims that fansites are not allowed to present any artwork with Prince’s likeness, to the extreme that he has demanded removal of fan’s own photographs of their Prince inspired tattoos and their vehicles displaying Prince inspired license plates.
Prince’s representatives have requested that the fansites provide them with “substantive details of the means by which you [the fansites] propose to compensate our clients [Paisley Park Enterprises, NPG Records and Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG)] for damages…”
The owners of the three largest fansites supporting Prince: www.housequake.com, www.princefams.com and www.prince.org have come together to fight back to what amounts to an injustice to the fansites and the very fans who have supported Prince’s career, many since the very beginning nearly thirty years ago.
It is their hope that Prince will reconsider his position and allow these fansites to continue their existence without constant threats from Prince and his attorneys. Should this not be possible, the fansites are fully prepared to defend their position in the proper court of law, as well as fully prosecute any claims to which they are justly entitled.
The owners of housequake.com, princefams.com and prince.org acknowledge that, while Prince is entitled to control of his copyrights, it should be within the law. The law clearly provides for displaying of images of a celebrity’s likeness for newsworthy events or matters that are considered to be public interest. All three websites feel that the photographs and/or likeness displayed on their websites clearly fall within the public interest category. Additionally, the use of photographs is legal based on the fair use doctrine, i.e. the displaying of album cover art, or the collage headers created by website members using a variety of different photographs.
I had the chance to catch The Cave Singers open for Black Mountain last week, and I have been listening to their new Matador release, Invitation Songs, off and on ever since… their dark, atmospheric folk, and the pleasantly-nasal whine of singer Pete Quirk’s voice really has me charmed.
You can get a good feel for their distinct sound over on their MySpace page…
It comes highly suggested from the girl blogging in her pajamas. It also compliments the rain quite nicely.
Although I doubt any regular Reveille readers need convincing that the age of the compact disc is swiftly coming to an end here’s further proof. Yesterday, Glossary, a great country-rock band and makers of arguably my favorite album of 2003 (the masterful How We Handle Our Midnights), decided to forgo the typical record industry hassles and release their brand new album, The Better Angels of Our Nature, for free in its entirety on their website. Fans of Lucero, Centro-matic, or Neil Young with Crazy Horse would do well to check this out (along with their other records - they’re all great).
And here’s a link to a feature article I wrote on the band in the Pulse when they came through Minneapolis last year.
Expect a larger review/feature on the band and record in the coming weeks. In the meantime I’d love to hear anybody’s thoughts about the record and artists decisions to forgo “releasing” albums in general.
Alright - a bunch of lucky bastards (myself NOT included) got to see Paul Westerberg’s turn at “The Craft” a musician showcase being put on in various locations throughout the US of A in recent and coming months by Miller Genuine Draft.
This is what I’ve dug up for your reading pleasure…
Jon Behm* and Stacy Schwartz in full effect for Spin.com
Jon Bream* from the Star Tribune covering it for Billboard.com
From the “Right Up My Alley” section of The Jen Paulson Files - here is a super hilarious new video for “Cruisin” by ZibraZibra. Wanna go motorbiking through the galaxy with the fabulous boys of ZibraZibra to save the universe? Ahem, I mean - to save a lame party? Well, here’s your chance.
Damn, yo. And just in time for their Twin Town High performance at First Avenue on Friday!!
