Excuse me Mr – I’m taking the Mr from out in front of your name
Went out to the local shopping centre to conduct some commerce tonight.
Spotted the new Ben Harper double album, Both Sides of the Gun. I’ve always loved his music. To me, The Will To Live is up there as one of the great albums.
I had my hard earned money, ready to buy the album as I’ve heard good things about it. Then, I spotted something wrong. See, it looked like a regular CD, you know the kind that you grew up with (sorry old people). Although this one had a defect. The same defect that exists in his two most recent releases. There was a sticker on it.
Recognise it?
Yeap, IFPI copy control logo! That’s right, the new Ben Harper CD is protected so that I can’t actually rip it and put it on my iPod.
That’s crazy talk you say? Of course you can put it on your iPod, that’s the whole point you say?
Well dear friend, you are wrong! The whole point is – to be an obedient consumer of popular music you have to abide by the rules of new media.
CDs are for listening to on CD players. iTMS (iTunes Music Store) downloads are for listening to in iTunes or on an iPod (and not any other player). Other online stores are for listening to music on other players (and not on the iPod). Read my DRM rant if your want to know more.
I give up, It’s too much for me, I can’t buy the CD for my car, then buy (read: lease) again from iTMS so that I can play it on my iPod. And then, I can’t put either on my Media Centre.
It’s easier just to discover other music. jamendo sounds like a good option.
Sorry Ben, I love your music but I can’t contribute to such limitations on an art form that I love so much, so I will continue to protest by not buying copy protected music.
And that, my friends is the sad note to end the night on. Off to bed I go.
-dg
PS, if you don’t get the post title, shame on you. Learn something today.
ohh dam. So this means that i don’t get the copy of the Cd off you after you put on your MC and ipod?? damm DG was looking forward to importing it into “MY” already impressive CD collection…. :)…
BTW DG you going to Harper Concert?
Good music. I don’t know if I wouldn’t BUY it just because it wasn’t copiable to your ipod, but I can understand that would certainly be a secondary purpose to want the music in the first place.
DG, I agree with you. It is certainly a pain in the ass for those who want to transfer it to ipods and other gadgets :) At the same time I can understand why good old Ben is doing such a thing… but is it worth it? Michael Franti is an advocate for copying his music because in his opinion he thinks the more people he reaches, the better! regardless of if it was copied or not. People will buy his music, an original if they love it. Anyway DG, I will be purchasing his new album for sure and so you can listen to my copy :) I will also be counting down the days till may 16th when the legend graces us with his presence on stage.
PS. Excuse me Mr won’t you lend me your ears, or are you not only blind or do you not hear?
Ok,
1) I doubt it’s Ben Harper specifically doing this, he probably has no clue and more importantly – now power to do anything about it. He is, as most are, at the mercy of “the man”.
2) You do realise that you won’t legally be able to rip this to your laptop and listen to it?
3) “People will buy his music, an original if they love it.” – Absolutely right, and they are fee to do this. They should be aware of the choices they’re making – that’s all.
4) Having listened to the album several times now, it’s not doing much for me. But you know how it goes, good things take time to grow.
5) And the pollution in the air Mr, whos could that be?
-dg
Hey, you think you’ve got it tough? i just paid $18 frickin’ dollars for the liner art to his new album in PDF format thanks to iTunes Store.
i always anticipate the days when you blog about something i actually understand. =) heard snippits of ben’s new album. i’m liking it.
haven’t seen you since Jan.! when can we all get together and talk geekanese again??
“heard snippits of ben’s new album. i’m liking it.”
I’m starting to come around to that view point, I’ve been listening to it quite a bit lately and didn’t think much of it initially but it is starting to grow on me.
You’re right we should catch up. Will call you soon to organise.
-dg
I too was pretty p*ssed when the album didn’t play in my car stereo. Was very much looking forward to it. Too bad you (and I too) instantly blame the artist for it, when obviously it’s the record company that produced the disc and control its production beyond the artist’s control. As in:
“A vocal segment of the online population has been intensely critical of the copy protection plans, leading record label executives to worry about potential consumer reaction. Some artists, such as Virgin Records singer Ben Harper, have been bitterly angry at their labels’ decision to include the technology without their approval” noted C/Net’s John Borland.
[url]http://bigpicture.typepad.com/comments/2004/06/industry_spinni.html[/url]
So let’s buy their medium, crack and rip it and burn our own discs, let’s cut old Ben some slack…