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Tag: Blink 182

  • Slayer Drummer Out Of Soundwave, Posts On Facebook

    Slayer fans were ecstatic to learn that 3 of the original band members would be performing together at the Soundwave Festival in Australia this year, but drummer Dave Lombardo had some bad news for them on Thursday: he’s been asked not to come.

    Lombardo says he was asked by the band’s lawyers to disengage himself from the tour due to a dispute over money and posted a lengthy explanation on Facebook yesterday, apologizing to fans.

    I want to personally apologize to all of our fans in Australia who have bought tickets for the tour expecting to see me in my usual place on the drums.

    So that you all know the truth, as of the end of the business day on February 14th, I was notified that I would not be drumming for the tour in Australia. I’m saddened, and to be honest I am shocked by the situation.

    Last year, I discovered 90% of Slayer’s tour income was being deducted as expenses including the professional fees paid to management, costing the band millions of dollars and leaving 10% or less to split amongst the four of us. In my opinion, this is not the way a band’s business should operate. I tried rectifying it by letting my band mates know, and Tom and I hired auditors to figure out what happened, but I was denied access to detailed information and the necessary back up documents.

    I spent the Christmas and New Year holidays realizing I had toured all over the world in 2012, but yet, had not been paid (except a small advance) or provided a proper accounting for a full year’s sweat and blood. On top of this, I was told that I would not be paid until I signed a long form contract which gave me no written assurance of how much or on what basis management would deduct commissions, nor did it provide me access to the financial budgets or records for review. It also forbade me to do interviews or make statements having to do with the band, in effect a gagging order.

    Last Monday, I sat down with Kerry and Tom to rehearse for Australia and to propose a new business model that I felt was the best way forward for Slayer to confidently protect itself so we could do what we do best . . . play for the fans. Kerry made it clear he wasn’t interested in making changes and said if I wanted to argue the point, he would find another drummer. On Thursday, I arrived at rehearsals at 1 pm as scheduled, but Kerry did not show. Rather, at 6:24 pm I received an email from the lawyers saying I was being replaced for the Australian dates.

    I remain hopeful that we can resolve our issues. But once again, I sincerely apologize to all of our fans in Australia who spent their money expecting to see the 3 of us original Slayer members.
    I look forward to seeing you in the future.

    Sincerely,
    Dave Lombardo

    Lombardo, who has also played with Fantomas with Faith No More’s Mike Patton, isn’t the first drummer to have issues with this year’s Soundwave tour; Blink 182’s Travis Barker just recently announced he won’t be able to make it due to a reluctance to get on a plane, after a tragic crash five years ago took the lives of two of his close friends and left him severely injured.

    If you have a few minutes, check out this haunting cover by Tori Amos.

  • Blink 182 Has Fun With YouTube Copyright Infringement

    Blink 182 Has Fun With YouTube Copyright Infringement

    Fair use is an issue that will not have much resolution going forward. Users want to have some creative control over songs they own, and the governing bodies that by have a much more strict approach to that practice. It’s an age-old battle that’s been around since Walt Disney’s days, but now, with the ease of use the Internet provides, the situation is much more volatile, especially when some in the intellectual property litigation industry view copyright as a money-making device.

    TechDirt’s coverage of fair use and public domain has been top notch. It’s a cloudy subject with very little compromise on either part. That being said, there are humorous approaches to this touchy subject, something Blink 182 attempted with their first music video release in eight years. To create their video, they offer the following explanation:

    To launch our first single in eight years, AT&T helped us search YouTube for every instance of fans using our music without our permission. And then we rewarded them for it. This film is made out of clips from all those videos. Thanks for being a fan.

    The surprising thing, at least from this perspective, is, after finding them, AT&T didn’t have takedown notices issued. That might have ruined the video Blink 182 was trying to make, however. The video in question:


    It’s a mash of various clips and recreations, culminating in an entertaining video that also speaks a great deal about some of the creations fair use and public domain inspire. Granted, Blink 182 made it a point to say these songs were used without their permission, but they thanked the fans anyway. Of course, the entertainment industry’s view on fair use, public domain, or, well, using anything that they think they are entitled to is captured quite nicely in the following webcomic:

    Fair Use Comic

    Too bad no one from the RIAA or MPAA shares the same kind of humor as the comic or Blink 182.

    Considering the mentality of the entertainment industry rulers is much like this:

    The RIAA’s Jennifer Pariser claimed that there’s no value to a work in the public domain. Apparently Pariser is unfamiliar with the works of Shakespeare. Or Beethoven. Is she serious? I mean, you could make the argument that it makes life more difficult to sell those works for the labels she represents, but those works have tremendous value. Pariser, of course, is famous for making ridiculous statements, sometimes under oath.

    As long as this mentality has the inside track with the governing bodies of the U.S., fair use and public domain is not a luxury many people will be allowed to enjoy without legal hassles.

    It should be said Blink 182 is entitled to determine how their music is used, but if a person actually purchases a song and makes a video that they don’t profit from, how was the artist’s brand damaged?