Today on the radio I heard Lars Ulrich, Metallica's drummer,
state that people who used Napster just wanted free music,
and that music should only be available to those who pay
for it. It was then that I realized that not only did
Metallica not understand the Internet, but THEY HAVE NEVER
HEARD OF RADIO STATIONS!
Radio, a technology unknown and mysterious to band members and the RIAA, is a
new-fangled invention that allows people to listen to music for free. What's
more, crack journalists at the Pigdog Journal have uncovered the fact that with
the addition of a device known as a "cassette tape recorder," ANYONE can RECORD
the free music they hear on their radios and listen to it again and again, FOR
FREE!
We don't have exact figures yet, but my guess is that if Napster is costing RIAA
performers $100 million a year, their losses due to radio stations playing music
must run into TRILLIONS of dollars. If it wasn't for radio stations ripping off
artists like Metallica, Lars would not only be richer than Bill Gates, he'd be
richer than Larry Ellison!
Lars went on to babble that "If they [fans] want to steal Metallica’s music,
instead of hiding behind their computers in their bedrooms and dorm rooms, then
just go down to Tower Records and grab them [CD's] off the shelves."
No way Lars! I could get arrested if I did that. The next time I want to "steal"
your intellectual property, I'm going to listen to my radio!
