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People stealing your music

M

mindbass

Jan 12, 2010
80
1
#1
hi all,

My band has just released a new album and we recentley found out that some guy ripped it and is selling it as downloads from his website. The person doing this is located in the US and seems to have an official webshop with address and everything. Is there anything that we can do to stop him? We are located in Belgium so it looks to be difficult. Anyone here had to deal with a similar situation?

greets


edit Our Ascap tells us that they are very sorry to hear this but cannot do anything about it.
 
#2
Hi Mindbass, very sorry to hear this. One thing you might try is to contact his web host and/or registrar.
This information should be available by entering his domain name in the Network Solutions WHOIS search page here: Invalid Link Removed. There is also a good chance his own name and address will be listed in the search result if he registered the site himself.

Once you've found this out, you can tell his host and registrar (if someone other than him) that he is purveying stolen copyrighted music for profit. Since he's in the States, maybe the RIAA or local police would be interested as well? Someone else here might know. If it was me going through this, I would be much more interested in having him actually prosecuted rather than just scaring him off to another web host to do the same thing.

Good luck with this!
 
#3
PBassFunk said:
Hi Mindbass, very sorry to hear this. One thing you might try is to contact his web host and/or registrar.
This information should be available by entering his domain name in the Network Solutions WHOIS search page here: Invalid Link Removed. There is also a good chance his own name and address will be listed in the search result if he registered the site himself.

Once you've found this out, you can tell his host and registrar (if someone other than him) that he is purveying stolen copyrighted music for profit. Since he's in the States, maybe the RIAA or local police would be interested as well? Someone else here might know. If it was me going through this, I would be much more interested in having him actually prosecuted rather than just scaring him off to another web host to do the same thing.

Good luck with this!
Click to expand...
Go after him and take him down! or the next album you put out he'll be selling as well I doesn't matter where you are fight for your rights. I am lucky to say to my knowledge this hasn't happen to my material. But world is a big place and if it did heads would roll! RTS
 
#4
As a musician I pay for my music. Ok, via Rhapsody mostly, but I do buy CDs.

As a software engineer I pay for my software as well.

But I know musicians who rip other people's music and programmers who rip software as well.

First of, find who is hosting the files and call that ISP. Claim your copyright. In Europe you probably can call some government organization. Believe me, ISPs don't like being taken to court.
 
#7
there are alrady loads of free downloads available of this album, and it was officially released on new years day, so these internet savvy people move fast. but this guy is taking the piss, first he rips the album (don't know from where) and then sells in it for dirt cheap on his website. I know I cannot do anything against some chinese or russian guy hosting a free download, but the someone living in the states that is selling it?

This is really frustrating. We are not a big band or particularly well known, we play music for a hobby and have recorder three albums.
I just don't want to be loosing money on this.....

I'll try to find out a bit more about this guy and then see where we stand.
 
#11
You could always give everyone on TB the website. I'm sure there's someone on here with the means of doing something to get him back. Organizing a ping attack is [DEL]always[/DEL] never a good idea, but it doesn't hurt to mention the possibility, right? :hiding:

But I must say, I second not minding if my material is being distributed freely. It's when another individual starts to take credit and profit for it is when I draw the line.
 
#15
FunkMetalBass said:
The fact that he's selling it without your permission makes it illegal.
Click to expand...

Incorrect. The fact that he has copied it,and is distributing it makes it illegal. Selling it/giving it away has no bearing on the situation.

I personally don't care if people rip my music and distribute it. I'm not in it for the money. But, if I'm not going to be making money from selling my music, nobody should be making money selling my music.
Click to expand...

That's your choice - but the fact that someone who doesn't own the copyright is distributing music is stealing, pure and simple.
 
#16
Hand over website. Enough of us going on there and pointing out that what he's doing is illegal, and that we'll spread the word over the internet that this guy is ripping off a) the artist and b) the customers (by selling what is free), and he will stop.

Link please?

:)
 
#17
Had this happen to me in Indonesia once. The guy was selling bootleg copies of a movie soundtrack I had four songs on. Being that this guy is based in the US, it will probably be a lot easier to stop him. If you can find out who the ISP is, maybe you can contact the US embassy in your area to find out who to talk to. The FBI may have jurisdiction over this, since sales over the web are usually considered interstate commerce.
 

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