El Efecto Streisand As Guatemala Arrests Twitterer
FTC Cracking Down On Car Warranty Robocall Scammers
If This Is The Sort Of Writing That Strong Copyright Creates... I'll Pass
Sony Pictures CEO: Nothing Good Has Come From The Internet

New Danger Mouse CD Released As A Blank CD-R Due To Legal Fight With EMI

Culture

from the now-that's-creative dept

Fri, May 15th 2009 12:27pm — Mike Masnick
If you follow copyright issues, you're no doubt aware of Danger Mouse. He's the DJ who got quite a lot of attention a few years back for creating one of the very first mainstream mashups -- mixing the Beatle's The White Album with Jay-Z's The Black Album to create the rather unique The Grey Album. Of course, one of the main reasons why the album became so well known was because EMI sent cease-and-desist letters to everyone who posted copies of the album, and then to anyone who posted that they were going to participate in the "Grey Tuesday" protest. The whole thing seemed pretty silly. It's not as if anyone listening to The Grey Album would find it a substitute for either of the other albums.

Since then, of course, DJ Danger Mouse has gone on to even more mainstream success with his Gnarls Barkley project, a collaboration between Danger Mouse and Cee-Lo Green. However, it looks like DJ Danger Mouse has another album that he's been working on, in association with Mark Linkous (of Sparklehorse). Yet, due to ongoing legal troubles with EMI, he can't actually release the music. So he's come up with a rather creative solution. Found via Andrew Dubber, the news is that the next album will be released as album artwork with a blank recordable CD.

Yes, a blank CD-R.

There is no music on it. Because if there were music on it, it would get him in more trouble with EMI. Yet, if you have that blank CD and all the artwork, you certainly could (not that they're suggesting you do...) find that music elsewhere and burn it to the CD. The statement from Danger Mouse reads:
Danger Mouse's new project Dark Night Of The Soul consists of an album length piece of music by Danger Mouse, Sparklehorse and a host of guest vocalists, along with a collection of original David Lynch photography inspired by and based on the music.

The photographs, which provide a visual narrative for the music, are compiled in a limited edition, hand numbered 100+ page book which will now come with a blank, recordable CD-R. All copies will be clearly labeled: 'For Legal Reasons, enclosed CD-R contains no music. Use it as you will.'

Due to an ongoing dispute with EMI, Danger Mouse is unable to release the recorded music for Dark Night Of The Soul without fear of being sued by EMI.

Danger Mouse remains hugely proud of Dark Night Of The Soul and hopes that people lucky enough to hear the music, by whatever means, are as excited by it as he is.
In some ways, this is reminiscent of what the band Green Day did many years ago, offering up blank CDs with artwork for fans who had downloaded the music from unauthorized sources. Yet, in this case, it's even more interesting since there are no authorized sources at all for the music. It'll be fun to see how EMI reacts. Update: Meanwhile, the folks at NPR alert us to the fact that they're hosting a streaming version of the album for anyone who wants to hear it.
Hide this

Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.

Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.

While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.

–The Techdirt Team

Filed Under: blank cd-r, copyright, danger mouse, legal fight, music
Companies: emi

47 Comments

If you liked this post, you may also be interested in...

Reader Comments

Subscribe: RSS

View by: Time | Thread


  • identicon
    R. Miles, 15 May 2009 @ 12:42pm

    I can see EMI's response now.

    "By providing the blank CD-R, 'DJ Danger Mouse' has perpetuated copyright infringement by telling people 'Do with it as you wish'.

    This action appears to mock our previous attempt of protecting the original artists' rights. We have no choice but to use legal recourse for an injunction to cease immediate distribution of the blank media."

    Personally, I think a blank flash drive would have been better. Who the hell uses CDs anymore?

    Good luck, Danger Mouse. You can bet EMI's going to get their panties in a bunch over this one.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      John, 16 May 2009 @ 3:11pm

      Re: I can see EMI's response now.

      Who the hell can plug a flash drive into their car.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Oxidd, 17 May 2009 @ 6:33am

        Re: Re: I can see EMI's response now.

        Uh I can... my cd player in my car has a usb port. USB Key, portable harddrive (wd mypassport), they all work.

        [ link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Steven, 21 May 2009 @ 10:58pm

          Re: Re: Re: I can see EMI's response now.

          I can actually plug a flash drive into my car

          [ link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Arne, 17 May 2009 @ 8:26am

        Re: in their car

        A lot of people actually, many car stereos now have USB input to do exactly that.

        [ link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        Jared (profile), 17 May 2009 @ 1:10pm

        Re: Re: I can see EMI's response now.

        I can. I have a USB port on my head unit and I have a 16 gig thumb drive full of .mp3s I listen to. In my car.

        [ link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Other John, 21 May 2009 @ 3:36pm

        Re: Re: I can see EMI's response now.

        Um. I can :-)

        [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Tgeigs, 15 May 2009 @ 12:48pm

    This looks like good ol' fashioned civil disobedience to me. It'll be interesting to see the blustering response.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Just Another Moron in a Hurry, 15 May 2009 @ 12:53pm

    Cash In Hand

    Where can I buy this CD?

    And did anyone else notice that CD is also the initials for Civil Disobedience?

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Tgeigs, 15 May 2009 @ 1:05pm

    I am so going to rip that CD and put it up on filesharing sites. Imagine the DL time on the entire album...

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Ima Fish, 15 May 2009 @ 1:07pm

    I'll wait and buy it when I can find a cheap used copy.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 15 May 2009 @ 1:47pm

      Re:

      Ok, maybe I missed the sarcasm, but why would you by a used CD-R??? Oh wait a minute, you mean after someone else has burned the music on to it for you. Ok, now I get it. Good plan, assuming anyone is willing to give up their copy.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        The Truth Beacon, 15 May 2009 @ 3:07pm

        Re: Re:

        "Ok, maybe I missed the sarcasm, but why would you by a used CD-R??? Oh wait a minute, you mean after someone else has burned the music on to it for you. Ok, now I get it. Good plan, assuming anyone is willing to give up their copy."

        You idiot... It's a joke that you are obviously too stupid to get... Read it again a few times, and you will realize that he's treating it just as a normal album which he has little interest in other than the political statement...

        [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 15 May 2009 @ 1:33pm

    Cease & Desist

    Those cease & desist letters worked a treat, it only took me 10 seconds to find songs from the Grey Album on youtube.

    I'm going to buy this blank CD-R as a protest against EMI.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Sanketsu, 15 May 2009 @ 2:07pm

    Awesome, now I've got something to blow $50 bucks on. *^_^*

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Cecil Green, 15 May 2009 @ 2:07pm

    pretty awesome.

    the booklet of david lynch photos makes it well worth the price. great idea.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    hegemon13, 15 May 2009 @ 2:16pm

    Inducement

    My guess is, EMI will go after a charge of "inducing" copyright, a la Grokster.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 15 May 2009 @ 3:57pm

    emi will irradiate or damage the disk on the way out the door.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Peet McKimmie (profile), 15 May 2009 @ 4:38pm

    Oh, *DJ* Danger Mouse...

    I jumped at this story because I thought it was about "Danger Mouse", the much-beloved UK cartoon character from the 1980s voiced by national treasure David "Del Boy" Jason.

    Please be more accurate with your titles in future.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Xanius, 15 May 2009 @ 4:44pm

      Re: Oh, *DJ* Danger Mouse...

      Same with me. Should definitely have said DJ danger mouse, I wouldn't have cared as much and been let down by that.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Sirknz, 15 May 2009 @ 5:33pm

        Re: Re: Oh, *DJ* Danger Mouse...

        He's the greatest, he's fantastic, whenever there is danger he'll be there!

        [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 16 May 2009 @ 8:53am

      Re: Oh, *DJ* Danger Mouse...

      Crikey

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Pete, 17 May 2009 @ 10:59am

      Re: Oh, *DJ* Danger Mouse...

      Me too! Unfortunately, its just another irrelevant moron who can't write an original piece of music to save his life.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        IanK, 25 May 2009 @ 12:45pm

        Re: Re: Oh, *DJ* Danger Mouse...

        How about jazz, or pop, or nearly ANY music created in the past 20 years? Music has ALWAYS been about taking what has come before and turning it on its head. I dare ANY "musician" out there to attempt to create something akin to what Danger Mouse does. To dismiss it shows more about the listeners prejudiced views of what music is thanthe skill that created it. Taking different musical elements, combining them into a new form takes just as much skill as playing scales on the piano. I've played guitar for almost 20 years, I also have recoreded bands and runa project studio and I can tell you that I have heard more talent in the electronic/mash-up/remix scene than in the hundreds of pop/rock acts that come across my desk. Sorry Pete, but YOU are the irrelevant moron here.

        [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      will pomroy, 19 May 2009 @ 3:53pm

      Re: Oh, *DJ* Danger Mouse...

      why bother posting a response you twat?

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Mike, 16 May 2009 @ 6:45am

    LOL! Gotta love it!

    What a wonderfully creative way to stick it to EMI. And to the litigious folks at EMI, let me just say, "Good luck with trying to litigate over this- you're gonna need it."

    Mike
    http://thedeathpsychic.com

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Mike, 16 May 2009 @ 6:47am

    LOL! Gotta love it!

    What a wonderfully creative way to stick it to EMI. And to the litigious folks at EMI, let me just say, "Good luck with trying to litigate over this- you're gonna need it."

    Mike
    The Death Psychic

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Melvin, 16 May 2009 @ 11:18am

    the sexpistols wrote a song about emi i think..

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Jim, 16 May 2009 @ 12:03pm

    blank CD-R

    I want blank CD-R

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Orgillian, 16 May 2009 @ 3:45pm

    Don't think 160kps mp3s are CD/album quality

    Nice strategy but he'd best be giving it away losslessly somewhere for it to mean as much...

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Hugh Brown, 17 May 2009 @ 6:03pm

    Interesting AND subversive ....

    Love it!

    Keep up the revolution, boys!

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    neal, 19 May 2009 @ 12:01am

    He'll never get away with it

    I hope he gets sued by the estate of John Cage

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    dave, 28 May 2009 @ 4:20pm

    Jeez...this writer sucks. Really badly written. "posted copies of the album" Where??? Online????? say it then!!!!

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    steve, 17 Jun 2009 @ 6:02pm

    bought it allready

    i bought the "album" and then proceeded to torrent the album.. its quite good!

    danger mouse should be proud!

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Jon Ostrow, 1 Jul 2009 @ 11:45am

    Good Idea... But Takes Away From The Music

    I like the message that Danger Mouse is trying to send to all of the major record labels, and I think it is about time artists start truly standing up to the labels. But, I think that this 'protest' may be a little too powerful. The music that Danger Mouse has created for this album is now going to just represent a 'protest', which I can imagine was not the original intent for the music. Its just too bad that it came to this, because the music of Danger Mouse will be lost in this process of this all.

    That being said, I praise Danger Mouse for standing up to the labels and making the voice of the artist heard. Well Done!

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    etot, 16 Jan 2010 @ 10:42am

    شكرااااااااااااااااااااااااااااا

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon

    Brilliant!

    I love Danger Mouse's resourceful and creative approach to counteracting the major record labels.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]


El Efecto Streisand As Guatemala Arrests Twitterer
FTC Cracking Down On Car Warranty Robocall Scammers
If This Is The Sort Of Writing That Strong Copyright Creates... I'll Pass
Sony Pictures CEO: Nothing Good Has Come From The Internet
Follow Techdirt
Essential Reading
Techdirt Deals
Report this ad  |  Hide Techdirt ads
Techdirt Insider Discord

The latest chatter on the Techdirt Insider Discord channel...

Loading...
Recent Stories

Friday

19:39 Important Announcement: Techdirt Is Migrating To A New Platform (0)
More arrow

This site, like most other sites on the web, uses cookies. For more information, see our privacy policy. Got it
Close

Email This

This feature is only available to registered users. Register or sign in to use it.