SOPA And PIPA: Musicians Value Freedom Over Dollars

With many major websites going into blackout yesterday over the proposed SOPA and PIPA (Stop Online Piracy Act and Protect Intellectual Property Act) bills that are currently making their way through US Congress, it is perhaps unsurprising that a number of musicians have also been speaking their minds about the proposed legislation in the past 24 hours.

According to Spinner.com, Trent Reznor, MGMT, Nada Surf's Daniel Lorca, OK Go, Amanda Palmer, Erin McKeown and the Lonely Island, the comedic band fronted by 'Saturday Night Live's Andy Samberg, posted an open letter yesterday stating their opposition to PIPA and SOPA.

"We, along with the rest of society, have benefited immensely from a free and open Internet," the letter says. "It allows us to connect with our fans and reach new audiences. Using social media services like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, we can communicate directly with millions of fans and interact with them in ways that would have been unimaginable just a few years ago."

Meanwhile, acts such as Radiohead, Flaming Lips, Disturbed and The Roots have vocalised their opposition to the bills via twitter and their official websites.

Lamb of God front man Randy Blythe has been particularly vocal about the bills, telling Noisecreep that he would rather starve than benefit from SOPA or PIPA:

"I would rather starve. I've been poor plenty of times. I was poor for a long, long time in this band, literally homeless at times. I'm not particularly worried about getting rich, that's not why I do this. I make a good living, a lot of people don't. I'm not a millionaire, but I'm quite comfortable now after 16 years of being in this band.

"To tell you the truth if this SOPA thing went through at first it would probably be a huge economic boom to myself personally and I could take that money and be set... until they'd figure out another way to leak music.

"And yes, I would make more money, this is true. And yes, I think it sucks that people steal music. And that's what I call it. Not copyright infringement, not piracy, it's f--king stealing. That sucks. That being said, I just don't want the government or corporations to have more control than they already do. To me it's ridiculous and a very easy choice... Would I like to live comfortably in a nice house as an indentured servant or would I like to live in the ghetto as a free man? I'll take the ghetto any day."

Comments

[Zan595]

Randy Blythe is becoming my new favorite spokesman.

A huge issue such as piracy finally gets its way up to congress, and rather than address the issue at hand, those writing the bills decide "Hey! Let's attach fifteen cleverly worded parts to this to restrict free speech and make it unpopular with everybody, including the people it was supposed to be benefiting in the first place." Now, instead of doing something beneficial to preventing piracy, it's just a huge cluster f-ck of speech restrictions.

[guitar/bass95]

If musicians themselves are against SOPA, the whole law kind of loses it's meaning. Why would you want to make a law that "protects" musicians if the artists themselves hate the law too. I really hope that SOPA and PIPA won't make it through, probably half of all youtube videos and wikipedia articles would be either modified or deleted instantly.

And Randy Blythe is just awesome.

[Trent Armitage]

I believe musicians need protection from illegal downloading and what not, but SOPA and PIPA are just terrible, even if they are a bit exaggerated.

[edgeyyz]

Blythe certainly has the right idea, and it's clear that he's making music for the right reason. I'd like to hear which musicians want SOPA/PIPA to pass.

[edgeyyz]

Trent Armitage wrote:

I believe musicians need protection from illegal downloading and what not, but SOPA and PIPA are just terrible, even if they are a bit exaggerated.

What they need to do is make illegal file-sharing less appealing by removing all of the online sources for free music (which would honestly take a lot of effort) and/or create a legal file-sharing system where people pay a reasonable monthly/yearly/whatever fee at a cost that isn't going to empty their wallets but still get money to the musicians that deserve it.

[jjbarnes]

edgeyyz wrote:

Trent Armitage wrote:

I believe musicians need protection from illegal downloading and what not, but SOPA and PIPA are just terrible, even if they are a bit exaggerated. What they need to do is make illegal file-sharing less appealing by removing all of the online sources for free music (which would honestly take a lot of effort) and/or create a legal file-sharing system where people pay a reasonable monthly/yearly/whatever fee at a cost that isn't going to empty their wallets but still get money to the musicians that deserve it.

Spotify.

[suicidalpoptart]

Good to see that the people these bills are trying to "protect" are opposing it haha.

[Kajinaga]

edgeyyz wrote:

Trent Armitage wrote:

I believe musicians need protection from illegal downloading and what not, but SOPA and PIPA are just terrible, even if they are a bit exaggerated. What they need to do is make illegal file-sharing less appealing by removing all of the online sources for free music (which would honestly take a lot of effort) and/or create a legal file-sharing system where people pay a reasonable monthly/yearly/whatever fee at a cost that isn't going to empty their wallets but still get money to the musicians that deserve it.

Uhm... these sites are outside of the US, therefore outside the US' jurisdiction. We can't make them less appealing and we can't do anything about them. That is why they are trying to pass this.

[Deathrow_Saints]

FUCK SOPA/PIPA!!

[Ju1c3b0x]

I'd like to hear what Lars Ulrich and Gene Simmons have to say about SOPA/PIPA.

[cambo187]

guitar/bass95 wrote:

If musicians themselves are against SOPA, the whole law kind of loses it's meaning. Why would you want to make a law that "protects" musicians if the artists themselves hate the law too.

Because these bills are not meant for the musicians, but for the big record labels. They are the ones that are really losing their ass on downloads, and they are the ones spending millions of dollars lobbying for these bills to pass. Their greed fuels these bills, not the artists.

[DavyG707]

The Lamb of God guy's right!

[harpcicle]

I'd very much rather want to hear Randy Blythe's opinions on things right now than Corey Taylor's

[maiden=gods]

SOPA and PIPA can go suck a dick.

[Taargus]

It isn't stealing. Stealing implies that the original is removed. Pirating is just making a copy of the original.

[eloera1]

were in 2012 not in 1901!!! SHIT man!! To ****ing bad for illegal downloadin,

[Pagan_Poetry]

Everybody here do me a favor. Watch the movie Network from the 70s with Faye Dunaway, Peter Finch, William Holden and Robert Duvall. That movie predicted so many things like reality tv, shows like Jerry Springer, and so much more. One of the things it predicted and clearly warned us about was an entertainment world run not by the artists that do the work, but the greedy corporations that benefit from it.

There's a scene near the end with a mindblowing monologue about just that. Paddy Chayefsky predicted bullshit like SOPA and PIPA decades ago. He was right. We have the power to stop it, so keep signing petitions guys. Network's been right about too many things so far, let's not make 1984 any more right.

[Dude475]

I like what randy said. Everyone pjrates stuff. Everyone. If you lend a from to someone, its filesharing. But it is pointless to pass the law if musicians hate and I hate because they still male money through there concerts and merch sales.

[apmaman]

"SOPA And PIPA: Musicians Value Freedom Over Dollars"

Not spoke to KISS then I guess

[Lord_Doku]

We can sign petitions all we want, but eventually the politicians will find a way to drive their original intent through our throats. Petitions won't work then.

I foresee a couple of international civil wars in the near future, if governments (the US government in particular) don't play this game the right way.

And I will join the fight.

[MetalguitarDT]

apmaman wrote:

"SOPA And PIPA: Musicians Value Freedom Over Dollars"

Not spoke to KISS then I guess

Well, that would imply that KISS are musicians. KISS: Businessmen value dollars over freedom.

[Eirien]

cambo187 wrote:



guitar/bass95 wrote:

If musicians themselves are against SOPA, the whole law kind of loses it's meaning. Why would you want to make a law that "protects" musicians if the artists themselves hate the law too.

Because these bills are not meant for the musicians, but for the big record labels. They are the ones that are really losing their ass on downloads, and they are the ones spending millions of dollars lobbying for these bills to pass. Their greed fuels these bills, not the artists.

Well put, I came on to say just that. If anyone thinks these bills are for the benefit of artists and performers they are sadly mistaken.

[khakiapple]

Ju1c3b0x wrote:

I'd like to hear what Lars Ulrich and Gene Simmons have to say about SOPA/PIPA.

actually exactly what I was thinking. in a death match betweenthe three of them, my money is on randy.

[guitargodwannab]

so im not a fan of Lamb of God in anyway shape or form but damn, Randy wen it comes to making a solid and amazing point. i love him

[Skarson]

this was never about the musicians. it's about government control and corporate interests. it was never the musicians pushing for SOPA and PIPA, it was their labels--they're the ones making the lion's share of the profit, and they're the ones getting hurt the most by piracy (for the record, randy, it is piracy: theft takes something from someone else, piracy makes a copy).

[spiff-corgi]

Skarson wrote:

this was never about the musicians. it's about government control and corporate interests. it was never the musicians pushing for SOPA and PIPA, it was their labels--they're the ones making the lion's share of the profit, and they're the ones getting hurt the most by piracy (for the record, randy, it is piracy: theft takes something from someone else, piracy makes a copy).

And that's what pisses me off, cos the people benefiting from SOPA and PIPA, whether in the music, film or TV industries, are multi-millionaires and billionaires. Outside of music, have you seen how much a ****ing cinema ticket costs!? I'm not paying £15 to go see a film with a load of noisy, annoying ****s in the audience. But I WILL buy the DVD (or CD in music's case)...

[adamzam]

WE ALL DESERVE FREEDOM!

[ShigglyB00]

I don't illegally download myself, and I'll admit that I do get on at people who do all the time, for not giving the artists the small payment that they deserve, but god damnit they should be able to choose! >

If this goes through, I imagine that a lot of respectable artists will just start giving out their music for free, just to **** over greedy record companies.

I can't even believe I'm having to worry about this happening. Good f**king start to 2012.

[StillSublime]

They're infringing upon our free speech. That is all. No more needs to be said. If somebody has a nuke, please take them out.

[DickHardwood]

maiden=gods wrote:

SOPA and PIPA can go suck a dick.

PIPA means blowjob in Greek..just so you know.

[lefty311]

They just need to be more specific in the proposed bill by directly pointing out piracy websites and not youtube, facebook, twitter, etc.

[Ranmanbassist18]

The thing is, is the American government will always be using outdated technology. We are unbelievably smart on the internet. People that are involved in Anonymous will have no problem dealing with this shit. They are amazing at dealing with this stuff. One day illegal downloading will become the underground of the internet .

[jbb1116]

Randy Blythe is the man

[rhs5110]

Randy blythe is a badass gotta love tht guy

[Megadeth2011]

Everybody except for politicians value freedom over money. There are already laws in place to stop illegal downloading and the use of illegal content... they're not enforced well. SOPA and PIPA isn't about stopping illegal downloading... it's about infringing upon the rights of everday citizens in America, and ultimately, the world. If the media outlets weren't controlled by the government, then the people would know... both sides of Congress agree with each other. They're working just fine. The media makes it out to seem that everything is Republicans vs. Democrats. In reality, it is a scheme. They are all the same, but given a different name, and the pretend to argue, all while stripping away the rights of US citizens. Neither party is innocent, and no media outlet is innocent.

[6metal6pirate6]

Whole thing is a scam gyz

[pailoong]

If people wouldn't be cheapskate trash then we wouldn't have a need for these proposed laws.

[eetfuk58]

Randy Blythe. . . enough said.

[iscreamicecream]

pak dat shyet mang!!! i pirate u..u pirate me...we 1 big happy family!

[crackerface]

GOD!!! DAMN!!!

[Root Beer]

6metal6pirate6 wrote:

Whol e thing is a scam gyz

Yep. I agree. Just watched it. Everyone else should too.

[Acacia69]

Pagan_Poetry wrote:

Everybody here do me a favor. Watch the movie Network from the 70s with Faye Dunaway, Peter Finch, William Holden and Robert Duvall. That movie predicted so many things like reality tv, shows like Jerry Springer, and so much more. One of the things it predicted and clearly warned us about was an entertainment world run not by the artists that do the work, but the greedy corporations that benefit from it.

There's a scene near the end with a mindblowing monologue about just that. Paddy Chayefsky predicted bullshit like SOPA and PIPA decades ago. He was right. We have the power to stop it, so keep signing petitions guys. Network's been right about too many things so far, let's not make 1984 any more right.

The video store in my town doesn't have it, should I download it?

[DanC117]

Ok, I admit I pirate things once in awhile but the only reason is that I simply can not afford to go out and buy albums considering I only make $7.70 an hour with only 20 hours a week and driving 40 miles just to get to work. Music is the only thing that keeps me sane so I have no choice but to download it every so often.

I buy the albums when I have a chance though. My point is that i'm definitely not the only person in a similar or worse situation so if these sites were to be shutdown there would be a lot of people with no way to hear the music that appeals to them. I know here in Georgia there are no radio stations that play music that I want to listen to.

[Senor Kristian]

These bills are all good for business and to some extent, the economy in general, because a well running business employ more people.

It's a huge setback for art though. Record companies aren't just losing money because of piracy but because the competition has increased by unreal amount thanks to new artists getting known faster through the internet and the sharing.

If this bill gets through, we're back to only being able to hear what the copyright owners wants us to hear, crippling our ability to explore new music.

[HARTATTACK69]

Insert Ignorant Lars Ulrich comment

[NiinjaMaster36]

Insert stupid Gene Simmons joke

[Slaytan666]

Not a big Lamb of God fan, but Randy's on the f***ing money. I'd vote for him (if I was American, that is).

[Slaytan666]

NiinjaMaster36 wrote:

Insert stupid Gene Simmons joke

Why waste the time? I could just post his picture.

[Scorpyin]

Megadeth2011 wrote:

Everybody except for politicians value freedom over money. There are already laws in place to stop illegal downloading and the use of illegal content... they're not enforced well. SOPA and PIPA isn't about stopping illegal downloading... it's about infringing upon the rights of everday citizens in America, and ultimately, the world. If the media outlets weren't controlled by the government, then the people would know... both sides of Congress agree with each other. They're working just fine. The media makes it out to seem that everything is Republicans vs. Democrats. In reality, it is a scheme. They are all the same, but given a different name, and the pretend to argue, all while stripping away the rights of US citizens. Neither party is innocent, and no media outlet is innocent.

seriously people READ THIS!!! any government system is a ****ing joke, all its ever done since the dawn of time is strangle human freedoms... crime, murder, and poverty would all exist with or without government, you cant stop peolple from being violent... at the same time though, its not like people naturally WANT to die either, so why would people just kill each other for no reason, just because we live without restrictions?..

[Pagan_Poetry]

Acacia69 wrote:

Pagan_Poetry wrote:

Everybody here do me a favor. Watch the movie Network from the 70s with Faye Dunaway, Peter Finch, William Holden and Robert Duvall. That movie predicted so many things like reality tv, shows like Jerry Springer, and so much more. One of the things it predicted and clearly warned us about was an entertainment world run not by the artists that do the work, but the greedy corporations that benefit from it.

There's a scene near the end with a mindblowing monologue about just that. Paddy Chayefsky predicted bullshit like SOPA and PIPA decades ago. He was right. We have the power to stop it, so keep signing petitions guys. Network's been right about too many things so far, let's not make 1984 any more right.
The video store in my town doesn't have it, should I download it?

Someone has it uploaded on youtube in parts. That should do.

[Acacia69]

Pagan_Poetry wrote:

Acacia69 wrote:

Pagan_Poetry wrote:

Everybody here do me a favor. Watch the movie Network from the 70s with Faye Dunaway, Peter Finch, William Holden and Robert Duvall. That movie predicted so many things like reality tv, shows like Jerry Springer, and so much more. One of the things it predicted and clearly warned us about was an entertainment world run not by the artists that do the work, but the greedy corporations that benefit from it.

There's a scene near the end with a mindblowing monologue about just that. Paddy Chayefsky predicted bullshit like SOPA and PIPA decades ago. He was right. We have the power to stop it, so keep signing petitions guys. Network's been right about too many things so far, let's not make 1984 any more right.
The video store in my town doesn't have it, should I download it?


Someone has it uploaded on youtube in parts. That should do.

Alright I'll check it out.

[shredder3386]

Root Beer wrote:

6metal6pirate6 wrote:

Whol e thing is a scam gyz


Yep. I agree. Just watched it. Everyone else should too.

Wow good find and really eye opening

[T7E]

DanC117 wrote on 01/19/2012 - 048 pm / quote |
Ok, I admit I pirate things once in awhile but the only reason is that I simply can not afford to go out and buy albums considering I only make $7.70 an hour with only 20 hours a week and driving 40 miles just to get to work. Music is the only thing that keeps me sane so I have no choice but to download it every so often.

I buy the albums when I have a chance though. My point is that i'm definitely not the only person in a similar or worse situation so if these sites were to be shutdown there would be a lot of people with no way to hear the music that appeals to them. I know here in Georgia there are no radio stations that play music that I want to listen to.

Just move to Australia....Minimum wage for an adult is like $10 an hour, and if you are making only $400 bucks a week then you are probably eligible for considerable cash benefits from the government. This is why every government needs elements of socialism

[IUseAPurplePick]

Not gonna lie, I pirate music like I'm on a ship. But without that, I wouldn't know almost any of the bands and musicians that I do now. I would have never went and bought the tons of CDs I have now. I wouldn't have spent hundreds upon hundreds of dollars going to go see bands and wanted to own some of their merch. But all in all, I probably wouldn't pirate anything if Wal-Mart was the only place to buy CDs in my area for $15.00. In all honesty, without pirating, without all this data on the internet, those bands and record companies never would have made any of my money because I would have never given them a chance, or even heard of them.

[K!d_MeTaL]

Dude475 wrote:

I like what randy said. Everyone pjrates stuff. Everyone. If you lend a from to someone, its filesharing. But it is pointless to pass the law if musicians hate and I hate because they still male money through there concerts and merch sales.

I have never pirated anything. I have bought every album I have.

[crucifiedead]

I feel bad buying music from iTunes because it seems too cheap.

I'm glad I don't steal from musicians I respect and admire.

I hope all of you who pirate music feel guilty afterwards, you just ripped off someone you like, what does that make you?

[Chronologo]

The piracy is just the excuse to start a new way of government, and it's laughable how "americans" (yeah, like they own the whole continent) are always talking about freedom, the self made hero and stuff like that, they criticise China for censorship and now they plan to implement SOPA. Hipocrisy is the word that define them. In human history the empires always fall, sooner or later. I know that not all the ppl in the US are like I wrote before, but your ppl are being brainwashed from long time ago. It's up to us to stand up and fight, open your eyes ppl, with the power that the US government have they could have stopped piracy long time ago, why wait so long to do it? Even Megaupload was brought down, why just when all this piracy thing is on the news? It's just too suspicious to me

[crucifiedead]

Taargus wrote:

It isn't stealing. Stealing implies that the original is removed. Pirating is just making a copy of the original.

Who cares what it is called. The musicians worked hard to make the music, it is their job, life, and 99% of the time their only source of income. You are taking their income from them.

[HARTATTACK69]

crucifiedead wrote:

I feel bad buying music from iTunes because it seems too cheap.

I'm glad I don't steal from musicians I respect and admire.

I hope all of you who pirate music feel guilty afterwards, you just ripped off someone you like, what does that make you?

I agree If I like something I downloaded of youtube I buy it
the only time I illegally download stuff is when I can't find it on Itunes and even then it's mostly epic trailer music

[crucifiedead]

Okay, big bands get their income from gigs and merch as well as from their music sales. What about bands still trying to make it? Bands with small fan bases and no money to speak of because they have put it all into the band? I'm not for SOPA or anything, but music piracy should stop.

[jawsheepdog]

lol "indentured servants"

American History +1

[Pagan_Poetry]

Okay, I will post this now when most people can't read it or will read it.

If SOPA and PIPA don't pass and the internet is kept as a free speech tool, I will return to the pit. Yes. Not that it's important, and I'll probably be banned within a week, but that's that.

[ItsApocalypse]

The law is for the record companies, not the musicians. The RIAA didn't make enough money prosecuting nine year old girls during the napster affair.

[ali.guitarkid7]

Go Randy!

[sickassfoo]

i get the feeling that metallica is for SOPA/PIPA

[Metallichemical]

Outright ridiculous and low on so many levels. I signed the petition. If you have not already done so, you need to...

https://www.google.com/landing/takeactio...

[tacobellman2007]

Andy Samberg and the rest of The Lonely Island should make a music video about SOPA and PIPA.

[Blues Hippie]

... This kind of stuff is EXACTLY why we need Rage Against The Machine to write new songs...

[qrEE]

guitar/bass95 wrote:

If musicians themselves are against SOPA, the whole law kind of loses it's meaning. Why would you want to make a law that "protects" musicians if the artists themselves hate the law too. I really hope that SOPA and PIPA won't make it through, probably half of all youtube videos and wikipedia articles would be either modified or deleted instantly.

And Randy Blythe is just awesome.

It's supposed to benefit movie companies, which are probably mostly for it. The plus side of SOPA for movie companies is it gets people to buy movies, stimulates the movie-making economy and they can afford to make better movies.

The down side is that none of that will actually happen, everybody will be pissed off, everybody will lose money including the musicians and movie companies, and piracy will just be stalled, not prevented. If they want to protect intellectual property, PROTECT IT FROM THESE STUPID BILLS.

Nobody is for SOPA/PIPA except people who don't understand the industry, the internet culture or how the internet actually works... so about 80% of politicians.

[JMV12]

I've heard of cases where the record labels own the rights to the songs the ARTISTS and MUSICIANS write. It seems that sometimes, a band is so eager to be famous that they sign off their music to those greedy bastards (sometimes unknowingly because they fail to read the contract properly), and when they want to move from that label to another one, they can't even perform those songs live or even write new music without the label's consent. Yeah, it's all about the artists right?

How can an artist not be able to perform their own material? It's like when John Fogerty's label tried to sue him for writing a song that was similar to an older song that HE wrote while on that label. Idiots.

On a second note, it seems like we're headed for a 1984 type of state if this keeps up. SOPA and PIPA seem like serious violations on First Amendment rights, so I hope they don't pass. Otherwise, it will open the floodgates for similar laws, and we'll be really f*cked.

[BcRichRocker1]

If the musicians themselves are against this, then why the **** would they pass a bill to help these musicians and artists... if they are totally against it. Clearly they don't need the governments help. Leave it to our shitty government to try 2 control rock and roll

[Metal_Master_0]

On piracy: The human resource is far greater than anything money can buy. Reputation is priceless, and "piracy" increases reputation. Didn't our parents teach us to SHARE when we were young?

On legislation: And the puppet masters continue to pull the strings, watching as people react just as they want them to. SOPA and PIPA were obviously destined to fail, the real question is what is it that they are trying to distract us from with all this BS legislation that OBVIOUSLY won't pass.

Think about it, if they wanted to fast-track, the laws would've been passed about a month ago. SOPA and PIPA have been in congress for months, so why all of the sudden all the big websites, names, corporations (Google, Wikipedia, for example) hop on the bandwagon of hate towards the bills?

Clearly there is more to it than that. Wake up people, if you live in America realize that you ARE institutionalized. There is much more happening before you eyes than what the media shows you.

Randy Blythe actually has some fancy lyrics about this:

"God forbid you read the signs, Watch for meaning between the lines. Gehenna has now arrived, no hindsight for the blind. Your trust has been misplaced, believed the lies told to your face. Became another casualty and now it's too late."

Don't be a casualty of society, don't wait until it's too late.

[breakinslash]

+1 for randy!!

[Metal_Master_0]

To prove my point, the PIPA enforcers went to New Zealand to raid MegaUpload's headquarters and arrested 4 people who are the supposed owners of megaupload. Before the law is passed, they act. That's your government for you.

[thedevil]

guitar/bass95 wrote:

If musicians themselves are against SOPA, the whole law kind of loses it's meaning. Why would you want to make a law that "protects" musicians if the artists themselves hate the law too. I really hope that SOPA and PIPA won't make it through, probably half of all youtube videos and wikipedia articles would be either modified or deleted instantly.

And Randy Blythe is just awesome.

Because it's not about the artists. It's about the money for the people who distribute the artists

[zomgguitarz1234]

The people who wrote SOPA and PIPA don't even know how the internet works. I'm dead serious, when asked if they knew what they where doing at least 5 times they said "I am not a nerd".

[GioJ]

sopa and pipa are not gonna pass. there's now way in sovengarde...

[GioJ]

sopa and pipa are not gonna pass. there's no way in sovengarde...

[mzrainpl]

Did you know that "PIPA" means "pus*y" in Polish? Now I know the reason

[gljbass]

Megadeth2011 wrote:

Everybody except for politicians value freedom over money. There are already laws in place to stop illegal downloading and the use of illegal content... they're not enforced well. SOPA and PIPA isn't about stopping illegal downloading... it's about infringing upon the rights of everday citizens in America, and ultimately, the world. If the media outlets weren't controlled by the government, then the people would know... both sides of Congress agree with each other. They're working just fine. The media makes it out to seem that everything is Republicans vs. Democrats. In reality, it is a scheme. They are all the same, but given a different name, and the pretend to argue, all while stripping away the rights of US citizens. Neither party is innocent, and no media outlet is innocent.

Meh. One ****s you over one way, the other ****s you over the other way.

[gljbass]

Metal_Master_0 wrote:

On piracy: The human resource is far greater than anything money can buy. Reputation is priceless, and "piracy" increases reputation. Didn't our parents teach us to SHARE when we were young?

On legislation: And the puppet masters continue to pull the strings, watching as people react just as they want them to. SOPA and PIPA were obviously destined to fail, the real question is what is it that they are trying to distract us from with all this BS legislation that OBVIOUSLY won't pass.

Think about it, if they wanted to fast-track, the laws would've been passed about a month ago. SOPA and PIPA have been in congress for months, so why all of the sudden all the big websites, names, corporations (Google, Wikipedia, for example) hop on the bandwagon of hate towards the bills?

Clearly there is more to it than that. Wake up people, if you live in America realize that you ARE institutionalized. There is much more happening before you eyes than what the media shows you.

Randy Blythe actually has some fancy lyrics about this:

"God forbid you read the signs, Watch for meaning between the lines. Gehenna has now arrived, no hindsight for the blind. Your trust has been misplaced, believed the lies told to your face. Became another casualty and now it's too late."

Don't be a casualty of society, don't wait until it's too late.

I like the way you think. Just saying.

[dethster23]

RANDY BLYTHE FOR PRESIDENT!!!YOU RULE MAN!!

[rip3149]

edgeyyz wrote:

Blythe certainly has the right idea, and it's clear that he's making music for the right reason. I'd like to hear which musicians want SOPA/PIPA to pass.

Gene Simmons!

[Doonan]

i skipped over reading a fair few comments and maybe someones already said this. but the bills arent just for record companies and the music industry. its also movies, games, basically anything that can be pirated.
anyway, i support the IDEA of what theyre trying to achieve. pirating doesnt help the people who entertain us so much.
but i dont support the way theyve written it though. because it gives the us government far too much power over the entire internet and it would spark some crazy problems no doubt

[joshuahughes34]

i thing illegal downloading is wrong because it takes away from the value of a song. Does know one think a song created from nothing by a band who would have spent hours/days/months creating it is worth 79 pence???? (or watever it is in USA). However SOPA and PIPA is the doing the wrong thing completely and should never be passed!!!!!

[iscreamicecream]

SOPA/PIPA is purely motivated by greed. Land of the free my asss!!