Cognitive Dissidents

DJ Mixes "more than anything else that we see in illegal
music are DJ mixes"

These unique circumstances, the expert testified, made these pirated CDs "very easily identified." "Sometimes they are sophisticated," he said, "these were not." He was "absolutely" certain these CDs could be identified as pirated "DJ mixes" from a visual observation. In the black market, "probably more than anything else that we see in illegal music are DJ mixes."

I would believe this if all the DJ mixes in the world were made of tunes from companies that support the RIAA - i.e the multi-media payola manufactured pop-crud which is rammed down the throat of every human being on the planet.

They aren't.

They are compiled by DJs from vinyl records (remember vinyl - how cds would replace it forever - it didn't happen) made by small record labels who are only too happy for their music to be promoted in this way.

DJ's do not play the kind of music that the RIAA claim to support - it is too cutting edge and different for mainstream companies to buy into and promote - so it is left to the small independents who understand very well the role of DJ's in promoting their music and allow a certain latitude with home-brew cd-r's that promote the DJ or a particular club night.

If the DJ wants to cut a deal and release the mix - then the music has to be licensed - after all it is being resold at a profit.

Penalising DJ promos by categorising them as "pirate material" - rather than looking at the overall role of the DJ in promoting tunes and generating profit for the record companies by generating sales - is a little bit more of that "golden goose" killing strategy that threatens to make all our lives more difficult.

On another note - the RIAA should learn that (a) many third world countries package their cds in "slimline" cases, (b) many DJ's repackage their cds in "slim line" cases (you get 100 in a 50 bag) and (c) many record producers and musicians carry their demos and working material in "slim line" cases (yeah - the guys you are claiming to "protect") without infringing copyright laws

Arguing that "slim line" cases are a sure sign of "pirated" material is a great way to alienate - well almost everyone really.

Right now I am in the middle of reviewing CC material for a CD mix which will be given away free under CC also - I will ensure that I use a "slim line" case, I will ask a Photoshop expert to blur the cover so it looks like it has been "re-scanned" and then I will give them away free to anyone who ensures that they make at least 5 copies - which have to be distributed in a "slim line" case and with a cover that is blurry enough to arouse the suspicions of law enforcement officers .....

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Tags: copyright violation, piracy, riaa, police state, privacy violation, big brother, content control, copyright control creative commons

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