In a message dated 1/2/2003 8:27:21 AM Eastern Standard Time, orb-request(a)mailman.xmission.com writes:
> Message: 5
> From: "Dj Bidet" <thrash(a)btclick.com>
>>>SNIP<<<
> Dear sir=20
> My name is Kris Weston=20
> Formerly of escapist band the orb
> I have contacted your isp=20
> And will sue for the maximum penalty
> This kind of copying is killing music=20
> You will be hearing from my solicitor..
>
> K.Weston
hi Kris
Thank you for such a thoughtful and insightful view of the world in which you live. As you saw fit to make your reply to me so very public by posting it on an open forum, I will respond to your baseless accusations and idle threats publicly as well. Unfortunately, i didnt quite understand your point, would you care to expand on it so as to make it clear? Specificaly, I wonder if you acctually read the post to which you responded. How exactly is trading a recording of a radio broadcast killing the music industry? I do believe I stated quite plainly that I have bought EVERY single Orb cd that i have ever lain my eyes upon, and went on to say what an honor it was to acctually be in attendance of the Orb in concert (which, i did record, and am glad that i did. My recording of that performance prevented a magical night of positive vibrations and wonderful musical intensity from being lost for eternity to the back walls of a completely undersold, half empty, dirty music hall on the back streets of Boston) All of this equals one very important thing, Kris, and that is monetary support for the artists. If you feel that that is killing the music industry, you truly live in a delusion world. I have no idea if you are who you claim to be, nor do I care in the least.
If you are in fact the person that you say you are, perhaps you ought to question the people whom tell you that my actions kill the music industry. Since you brought up the word "Industry", then there are a few easy and safe assumtions that we can bring into this dialouge. If we keep this in mind as as a strictly "buisness relationship" between one person selling a product,(the artist) and one person who purchases said product, perhaps you might ask them (those who have sold you on the notion that my actions somehow adversely affect you and the entire industry) exactly how a hard core customer who has bought all available product is doing the "retailer" (ie; artist) any harm.
If we followed this chain of thought, what I have done is no more harmful than if I were buying grain (ie; all available cd releases)from a hypothetical generic retailer, and now there was no grain left to purchase. Would I be at fault or harming the retailer in any way for harvesting the seed that I have already purchased (ie, concert ticket) to grow my own grain for personal consumption?(ie, get a recording of something i have experienced firsthand) I realize that this paralell may be hard for you to grasp, Kris, but the point is valid, and if you swap the words "grain" and "seed" for "CD", i believe you might see the point more clearly.
Lastly, Kris, i would say to you that i have broken no laws, committed no offences to which your "solicitor" could do anything about. If i had been caught recording any performance by an artist who did not authorize it, the most that could be done to me would be to expell me from the venue, with my recording equiptment intact. there are laws here that protect us from the confiscation of our properties, and again, where i STATED PLAINLY that I NEVER HAD NOR WOULD HAVE any intent whatsoever to sell the recording that i made, I do believe i havent crossed any copywrite infringement laws either. But go ahead, play your silly game, pretend that you can do something, make yourself feel better about being impotent. While you are there, perhaps you might wonder where all the studio outtakes that are unofficial and unauthorized have come from. You know the ones, the CD's that are acctually for sale at used record shops all over the world, the ones that acctually do harm to the artist trying to make a living. My guess is that they come from an insider, who has access to studio outtakes, alternate remixes, and soundboard recordings of concerts. Perhaps they come from the same people who have placed blinders on you and convinced you that somehow it was the fan who records the show for his own personal enjoyment so that he can relive that magical, fleeting moment again that is damaging the music industry. I would put it to you that it is not I who has caused you or anyone any harm whatsover.
just a guess.....
with my best regards
Mike Ahern
