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Australian Record Industry Goes After the Red Cross

Posted by michael on from the nothing-better-to-do dept.

cavaroc writes "Wired is reporting that the Australian record labels are now threatening the International Red Cross for being a beneficiary of Sharman Networks. They said they'd politely ask them to cooperate, but that if they didn't cooperate, 'It would be incredibly disappointing if we had to sue them.' My favorite quote from the article: 'We never take a case against technology, we will take cases against people who use technology to take away our artists' property.' They're expected to sue themselves sometime early next year. ;-)"

5 of 23 comments (clear)

  1. Sue Themselves by Bios_Hakr · · Score: 2, Interesting

    >>They're expected to sue themselves sometime early next year. ;-)

    I assume you are trying to be cute in saying that the *AA takes away the artist's rights. Well, when you make a deal with the devil, you are gonna get burned.

    If you don't like the contract, guys, don't fucking sign it. Don't pull a "The Artist/Prince" on them AFTER you get your millions. That's right, Courtney Love, I'm fucking talking about you...

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    I'd rather you do it wrong, than for me to have to do it at all.
    1. Re:Sue Themselves by Trepalium · · Score: 5, Interesting

      I've never dealt with a recording contract either, but there's an interesting article on it and the contract tricks. Now, I have no idea if this is accurate, but I have no reason not to believe it is. It is on par with other record industry tricks in recent history (like changing music into a work-for-hire by getting lawmakers to sneak it in an unrelated bill). The story that is told over and over again is convincing the musician to sign a contract on the spot without getting legal council and being promised things that are not in the contract, and getting screwed over because of it as none of the promised things will ever materialize, and the record company will hold them to the contract mercilessly.

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      I used up all my sick days, so I'm calling in dead.
    2. Re:Sue Themselves by cinderful · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I have read one.
      It was pretty easy to understand.

      What wasn't easy to understand was the other contract that came along with it that included the part "if you sell X number of albums on this label you're signing to, you automatically became an artist on this major label"

  2. Who's watching who? by JamesTRexx · · Score: 3, Interesting

    But don't expect any ruling in Australia to affect the law in the United States, Still says. "America doesn't pay much attention to Australian law. The legislation in America is slightly different."
    Seems like me they only paid attention to those parts of the law that wouldn't benefit the US corporations and have them changed through the trade agreement.
    I wouldn't be surprised to see them sue the Red Cross because they've already sank so low they can't go any deeper.

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    home
  3. A step too far by Richie1984 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    "Depending on how this goes, it could also mean that (Microsoft) software would amount to an authorization of the infringement of copyright," she says. "The same thing could be said for a photocopier."
    Ok...they can get rid of Kazaa, they can get rid of the Windows suite, but it'll be a cold day in hell before they can have my photocopier!!!

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    I'm not stressed. I'm just terribly, terribly alert.