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EMI Sues Beatles Usurper Off the Net

blackest_k sends along a Wired piece on EMI's successful suit to get Beatles music off the Net. Here is the judge's ruling (PDF). "A federal judge on Thursday ordered a Santa Cruz company to immediately quit selling Beatles and other music on its online site, setting aside a preposterous argument that it had copyrights on songs via a process called 'psycho-acoustic simulation.' A Los Angeles federal judge set aside arguments from Hank Risan, owner of BlueBeat and other companies named as defendants in the lawsuit EMI filed on Tuesday. His novel defense to allegations he was unlawfully selling the entire stereo Beatles catalog without permission was that he — and not EMI or the Beatles' Apple Corp — owns these sound recordings, because he re-recorded new versions of the songs using what he termed 'psycho-acoustic simulation.' Risan faces perhaps millions of dollars in damages under the Copyright Act. And copyright attorneys said his defense was laughable and carries no weight."

7 of 358 comments (clear)

  1. Santa Cruz, California by winkydink · · Score: 4, Funny

    also known as the World's Largest Open Air Mental Institution.

    P.S. Sorry, but you'll probably only get this if you've actually visited the place.

    --

    "I'd rather be a lightning rod than a seismometer." -Ken Kesey

    1. Re:Santa Cruz, California by Byzantine · · Score: 4, Funny

      No, no. The Capitol is enclosed.

    2. Re:Santa Cruz, California by smitty777 · · Score: 5, Funny

      As a native of the People's Republic of Berkeley, I will be organizing a march to protest this obvious attempt at profiling and oppression. Meanwhile - dude, I've got the munchies...are you going to finish those fries?

      --
      "Before God we are all equally wise - and equally foolish"
      Albert Einstein
  2. Re:Heh Heh by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    It's pretty yellow of EMI to submarine this guy out of the blue like that. It's going to be a hard days night for this guy in the future. Ask me why! Because! He told EMI to come and get it.

  3. Re:I wouldn't listen to the naysayers by BadAnalogyGuy · · Score: 5, Funny

    Generalize much?

    never.

  4. Re:First by Yvan256 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Dear Slashdot editors,

    please slow down with the new topics, poor Anonymous Coward keeps missing his shot at first post.

    Signed,
    Nobody really cares about first post.

  5. Re:Maybes its a good time for them to get on iTune by commodore64_love · · Score: 3, Funny

    P.S.

    >>>1 - Not every person on Earth benefits from public domain music.

    Strawman argument. I didn't say "every person". I said 6 billion, but the actual population is much higher than that, so I did not include "every" person in my first statement.

    --
    "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." - historian Evelyn Beatrice Hall