Metallica Still Struggling With Embracing The Whole File Sharing Thing

from the no-interview-for-you! dept

Tue, Sep 16th 2008 4:16pm — Mike Masnick

While Metallica is claiming (this time around) they don't mind that the latest album is being shared online, someone forgot to tell the band's representatives. TorrentFreak notes that the band's European record label, Universal Music (in the US, the label is Warner Brothers Records) has canceled the band's scheduled interview with a Swedish newspaper after a reviewer for the paper reviewed a remixed version of the album that he admitted he had downloaded via The Pirate Bay.

Universal's claim was that this is "totally unacceptable" seems destined to backfire. This is only going to provide a lot more attention to the fact that there's a different remix of the album available online that many people find better than the official version. Plenty of other artists like and encourage others to remix their music, because it tends to get fans much more involved with the music and can help attract new fans while making existing fans more connected to the band. For all of Metallica's talk of really embracing online fandom this time around, it keeps showing that it puts up roadblocks all around, rather than really connecting with the fans.

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Filed Under: file sharing, interviews, metallica, remixes
Companies: universal music

22 Comments

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Some one chillin right here... ---->, 16 Sep 2008 @ 5:11pm

Make up your mind Metallica
I must admit I'm a long time Metallica, till about the Black album, any way. They were one of the first major bands to support the *IAA and have for a long time. Now they change their minds? They helped get thousands sued and now think it not such a hot idea. These guys really should've stopped at the Black album. Maybe there next album should be called "Can't Make up our Minds". They use to be about the music then Lars Ulrich(specifically) got greedy, then the *IAA hurricane was born.
I'm not saying Metallica was the sole maker of *IAA but certainly were big supporters. I haven't bought any album since Black and don't intend to, as they don't have the same sound anymore.
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Raven, 16 Sep 2008 @ 5:36pm

Metallica
I dont get it. These guys make millions on their albums..they shut down Napster. I always thought that you make music for all to hear, to share that thought or feeling with others. So, does this mean the band has grown up? Or that they actually have enough money?
Maybe they should take a lesson from the Grateful Dead. For them it was all about the music and having people hear it, no matter how they heard it. So the big question is...Who owns the music? The band? or the record companies?
Maybe with all the fame that Metallica has gotten over the years, they need to start taking control of their own music and let the people get it anyway they can, and telling the music company to shove it.
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Trvth Jvstice, 16 Sep 2008 @ 5:57pm

Absolutely, whenever I find a few good songs from an album I always buy the album. There's nothing like owning the real thing - an actual CD to add to your collection.
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steve, 16 Sep 2008 @ 6:03pm

i haven't checked out the actual torrent, but from the torrentfreak article it wasn't exactly a remix, but it was called "'Death Magnetic: Better, Shorter, Cut', which contains the same songs as the original, but shortened." the metallica rep seems pissed that they downloaded it even though they also apparently got the actual disc to review. the reviewer also claimed that the edited version sounds better than the original. sounds like metallica is missing a key opportunity to take a hint from fans and do their own edit which they could then sell in official cd form or whatever. i'm sure people would pay for it.

http://torrentfreak.com/metallica-interview-canceled-after-pirate-bay-row-080914/
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ehrichweiss, 16 Sep 2008 @ 6:22pm

even remixed...
Metallica still sucks. They're so irrelevant that I'm lucky to remember when they were still a band worth listening to. Unfortunately it happened to them long before they started suing fans for downloading.
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MeMeMeMe, 16 Sep 2008 @ 6:22pm

Strain at a gnat to swallow a fly...
I won't listen to their music even if I hear it free on the radio. I wouldn't take one of their CDs if it was given to me. The best way to deter this type band/business/etc. is to totally ignore their presence on earth.
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Anonymous Coward, 16 Sep 2008 @ 8:23pm

metali-who?
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Brad, 16 Sep 2008 @ 9:48pm

What
Who released a new album ?!?!

Metallica huh.... Oh the guys that finally figured out that embracing the movement actually makes them more money then going against it.

good luck on getting me to ever listen to any of their music again.....
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itanshi, 16 Sep 2008 @ 10:12pm

Re: Make up your mind Metallica
Well they also made me more aware of technology then ever before. Like uh, downloading linux, lolcats and rainbows.
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Anonymous Coward, 17 Sep 2008 @ 12:03am

Im so tired of hearing about Metallica...

They just need to go away!

They have been downhill since the Black Album anyway I wont even download them for free anymore!!
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wasnt me!, 17 Sep 2008 @ 12:12am

Metallica Died in the 90s way before there napster incident.
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Nogard, 17 Sep 2008 @ 2:24am

Re: Make up your mind Metallica
You should listen to Death Magnetic then. Beneath all the distortion from a tragic mixing lies one of the finest works they have done since Justice. Make no mistake, this is no St. Anger or any of the crap they had been doing for far too long.
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Nogard, 17 Sep 2008 @ 2:35am

Re:
Then you'll be missing one of their finest albums in 15 years, even despite the shoddy sound quality.

I guess some people love their grudges and tantrums too much.
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laughing willow, 17 Sep 2008 @ 7:38am

Re: Metallica
agreed!
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Acoi, 17 Sep 2008 @ 9:04am

Re:
I Agree. This is by far their best album since Black, and not only did I buy the album, but my wife got me the collectors edition that came with 5LPs (2 Songs on each LP).
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Anonymous Coward, 17 Sep 2008 @ 10:20am

Re: Make up your mind Metallica
God forbid ANYONE ever changes their position. The problem with people, like you, that loves to throw out the "I haven't been a fan since xxxx album" is that you're stuck in a certain time period and can't seem to grasp or accept any kind of change. You take your tragedy out on others who can accept change.
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Anonymous Coward, 17 Sep 2008 @ 10:22am

Re: even remixed...
And you're deeply stuck in the past, I feel for you...
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Anonymous Coward, 17 Sep 2008 @ 10:24am

Re: Strain at a gnat to swallow a fly...
Good for you. Feel better? BTW, I could care less. :)
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Anonymous Coward, 17 Sep 2008 @ 10:27am

Re: What
I just heard from Metallica and they're worried because of this comment. After all this is what's being reported:

Metallica’s Death Magnetic is on pace to sell about 500,000 copies in the U.S. despite its release late in the week last Friday. Globally, the album is already dominating charts ...
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Anonymous Coward, 17 Sep 2008 @ 10:28am

Re:
When your sense of music failed?
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mcs, 17 Sep 2008 @ 10:45am

Grudge? Tantrum? Revenge?
That has nothing to do with it. I dont have a big issue musicians making the dollar figures that they do, but when they complain about not being able to support the multimillion dollar mansions, they won't get my money or attention.

Does that mean that their new album sucks? No.

But they DO suck as individuals and I wont support them. They are in it for the money not to play music. For them to make as much money and get as much popularity as they do- there is no excuse for such spoiled brat behavior. So go ahead and scream to the rooftops about how old Metallica is back.. blah blah blah. Just dont come crying when the music industry collapses from bands like these that care more about money than they do melody.
(Hint: has been happening already)
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Sep 2008 @ 12:22pm

Re: Grudge? Tantrum? Revenge?
Where exactly do you get your news? Stop believing every freakin' thing you read.
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