Internet Law expert Michael Geist has a report about Canadian artists taking a stand against the recording industry’s efforts to sue music downloaders. The list of artists involved is basically a CanCon who’s who of mediocre radio rock*, but their position statement is bold, and comes in the wake of six independent labels defecting from the CRIA over its cronyism with foreign multinational labels operating in Canada.
Much is at stake, including the legal status of downloading music in Canada, which is still indeterminate (though the Federal Court of Appeal ruled against the major record labels last year).
Meh. We already pay a private copying levy on blank media up here, unless we’re a record company or CD manufacturer making copies of things, you know, for a ‘living’. And we don’t actually live in igloos. And we don’t all drink Molson Canadian, though that beer sponsors a lot of concerts put on by the artists who are speaking up against the RIAA.
Here‘s a good link. Nettwerk’s Terry McBride talking turkey on P2P.
*though I will defend to the death the right for that mediocrity to exist!