Prince sues his own fans

nathanbrazilnathanbrazil Posts: 8,863
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According to to the BBC (other news outlets are available) the artist once again known as Prince is suing his own fans!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-25927363

Prince has a $22m (£13m) legal action against 22 people for posting copies of live performances online.

As always, there are two sides to this. Yes, technically, the uploaders have infringed his copyright, and if he really wants to go down this route, a slap on the wrist might be appropriate. But, looking at it another way, as far as I can make out these uploaders aren't making money from Prince's songs, and have uploaded purely because they love his music. In a way, they are helping to promote his work using what I imagine to be less than stellar quality live recordings.

I can't speak for any of those concerned, but as a Prince fan myself, I'm now thinking what a mean little fellow he's become, starting actions that will literally ruin peoples lives. People who have likely bought plenty of his official works in the past. I was looking forward to buying the new Prince work, when it's released, but now I don't know if I can be bothered to help fund his lawyers.
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  • InkblotInkblot Posts: 26,889
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    The article says

    "The defendants in this case engage in massive infringement and bootlegging of Prince's material.

    "For example, in just one of the many takedown notices sent to Google with respect to Doe 2 (aka DaBang319), Prince identified 363 separate infringing links to file-sharing services, with each link often containing copies of bootlegged performances of multiple separate musical compositions."


    from which it appears they are not simply "posting copies of live performances online".
  • 2shy20072shy2007 Posts: 52,577
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    I thought he had dropped the case?
  • dearmrmandearmrman Posts: 21,435
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    Nothing new here from Prince, we know how protective he is of his work, you post, upload these things and you take the risk. The fans should know that more than anything.

    I am a fan, and like Prince for his music, nothing more nothing less.
  • dee123dee123 Posts: 46,197
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    Dumb dumb dumb dumb dumb.
  • nathanbrazilnathanbrazil Posts: 8,863
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    Inkblot wrote: »
    from which it appears they are not simply "posting copies of live performances online".

    It seems to me that these people did just upload bootlegs, which were then linked to by other sites.
  • dearmrmandearmrman Posts: 21,435
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    Is Prince the only one to do this?

    Prince has to do it himself, because he isn't signed to a label, but do other artists do it via their record companies.
  • nathanbrazilnathanbrazil Posts: 8,863
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    dearmrman wrote: »
    I am a fan, and like Prince for his music, nothing more nothing less.

    Sure, his music has been great, and may be great again, after a long period of rather sub-standard stuff. As proven by the most recent releases from Bowie and McCartney, there can be life in old dogs.

    That said, any artist - in particular a major artist - is more than the sum of his works. How he/she conducts themselves, what they say in public, what issues they support, etc, etc, all contibute.

    Yes, Prince should have the right to protect his commercial works, including some kind of punishment for these uploaders. However, reasonable censure for their actions is not what seems to be happening. Rather, it's a very rich man using his financial power to ruin the lives of people who acted, not to make money, but from enthusiasm for his works. This, from someone who in the past has given away his own material in newspaper promotions!
  • dearmrmandearmrman Posts: 21,435
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    Sure, his music has been great, and may be great again, after a long period of rather sub-standard stuff. As proven by the most recent releases from Bowie and McCartney, there can be life in old dogs.

    That said, any artist - in particular a major artist - is more than the sum of his works. How he/she conducts themselves, what they say in public, what issues they support, etc, etc, all contibute.

    Yes, Prince should have the right to protect his commercial works, including some kind of punishment for these uploaders. However, reasonable censure for their actions is not what seems to be happening. Rather, it's a very rich man using his financial power to ruin the lives of people who acted, not to make money, but from enthusiasm for his works. This, from someone who in the past has given away his own material in newspaper promotions![/QUOTE]

    Not really, it's about the music nothing else for me. Prince has always seemed like a complete tool as a person, but having never met him I can't say for certain.

    Don't think he actually gave anything away for free, he would have been paid for it. Just a very quick way to earn some easy money.
  • homer2012homer2012 Posts: 5,216
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    Prince since the 90's has become such a ....well you can choose your own words if you like.
  • nathanbrazilnathanbrazil Posts: 8,863
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    homer2012 wrote: »
    Prince since the 90's has become such a ....well you can choose your own words if you like.

    Prince, was the Bowie of the 80's, constantly reinventing himself, and always surprising us with great music. Inspirational, influential and effortlessly entertaining. A true icon of rock.

    Then he had terrible misfortune in his personal life, major disputes with record companies, and 'got' religion badly. Prior to this latter involvement, Prince had always include a religious element to his work, but it was something that added to rather than detracted from the music. Now, he seems to be rather against celebrating sex in music, or swearing.
  • Master OzzyMaster Ozzy Posts: 18,925
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    I remember his performance with Beyonce at the Grammy's was removed from You Tube for a long, long time due to copyright reasons. It's available to watch now, but wasn't for ages.
  • That_GuyThat_Guy Posts: 1,421
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    Nice guy.
  • cnbcwatchercnbcwatcher Posts: 56,681
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    What a tool. OK, he has the right to protect his own intellectual property but suing the fans for uploading some concert videos is a bit OTT. Most fans of particular artists upload such videos. And haven't bootlegs of performances or bootleg albums been around for decades, even before the internet?
  • nathanbrazilnathanbrazil Posts: 8,863
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    What a tool. And haven't bootlegs of performances or bootleg albums been around for decades, even before the internet?

    Yes, they are a long established part of rock 'n' roll. Record companies might not like them, but most bands either tollerate such things or understand that bootlegs, when its fan to fan and not for money, are useful promo.

    Prior to Prince using a sledge hammer to crack a nut, I can only vaguely recall a heavy metal band, I think it was Metallica, having a serious pop at their own fans for live recordings. Everyone else way way too cool.
  • Big Boy BarryBig Boy Barry Posts: 35,293
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    Prince's attitude towards video sites like YouTube has always been inane and backwards.
  • siriusrosesiriusrose Posts: 1,680
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    That's so weird. Not that it's the same at all, but a few years back I took lots of footage of a up and coming group and posted videos of their full sets to youtube and their label actually sent a tweet asking for my contact details (so I kinda thought I must be in trouble) but they just said thank you and send me some free signed post cards and a free album sampler for helping to promote them. I know a new unknown group doesn't exactly compare to someone who's been in the industry for a long time like Prince and the circumstances are different, but it's weird that you can get rewarded for something by one person and disgraced for it by someone else. You should treat your fans well that's the be all and end all of it. Just to clarify I never downloaded anything illegally but I and the label were aware that people downloaded mine (and other peoples videos) onto their phones and stuff to listen to as their was no studio versions at that time, but they didn't seem worried about loosing sales that way.
  • TheTruth1983TheTruth1983 Posts: 13,462
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    Has Prince even done anything of note recently or is he still milking the shite out of Purple Rain?
  • ScottishPancakeScottishPancake Posts: 1,080
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    Has Prince even done anything of note recently or is he still milking the shite out of Purple Rain?
    Purple Rain I have always found to be a rather disturbing sounding song.
  • CheriCheri Posts: 1,539
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    Prince is slaying and all of y'all will deal.



    But seriously, he got some negativity for Youtube and all of those types things and I don't understand why.
  • nathanbrazilnathanbrazil Posts: 8,863
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    siriusrose wrote: »
    ... a few years back I took lots of footage of a up and coming group and posted videos of their full sets to youtube and their label actually sent a tweet asking for my contact details (so I kinda thought I must be in trouble) but they just said thank you and send me some free signed post cards and a free album sampler for helping to promote them.

    Thus proving my earlier point. If the 'offenders' in question had been actually counterfeiting Prince products, (making up CD's and selling as if they were the genuine article) then I can understand the fuss. But, people so keen on his music that they want to spread the word - and aren't making any money from this - do not deserve to have their lives ruined.
  • nathanbrazilnathanbrazil Posts: 8,863
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    Has Prince even done anything of note recently or is he still milking the shite out of Purple Rain?

    No idea what the new stuff sounds like, and at this point my interest is seriously waning.

    But, what I will say is that Prince has always been one of those characters than can do nothing of note for years, then turn it on again. A few others being Kate Bush, Bowie and McCartney. Their work is all over Utube, and is clearly seen as of promotional use.
  • EStaffs90EStaffs90 Posts: 13,722
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    the uploaders have infringed his copyright, and if he really wants to go down this route, a slap on the wrist might be appropriate. But, looking at it another way, as far as I can make out these uploaders aren't making money from Prince's songs, and have uploaded purely because they love his music.

    This is the very definition of irony: a few years ago, his record label got YouTube to pull videos of him performing Creep on copyright grounds. Even though the copyright to the song is owned by internet-loving Radiohead.
  • ScottishPancakeScottishPancake Posts: 1,080
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    Cheri wrote: »
    Prince is slaying and all of y'all will deal.



    But seriously, he got some negativity for Youtube and all of those types things and I don't understand why.
    Maybe someone should find a reason to sue him. That be hilarious! :D
  • Big Boy BarryBig Boy Barry Posts: 35,293
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    Check out Kevin Smith's story on YouTube about Prince

    Hilarious stuff.
  • SoeplepelSoeplepel Posts: 24,980
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    Either way, if they are guilty then they'd never have to pay a million though. That's ridiculous. Couple of thousands I'd understand, especially when you burned them on cd and sold them.

    Plus, he can't do anything to those who aren't in US or UK. Europe has different view on copyright and different rules.
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