Join in Live A55talk Online Now: MediaDefender E-Mails Leaked
MediaDefender, one of the more pernicious organizations dedicated to anti-piracy measures against P2P and torrent sites, is in a little bit of a mess right now. Reason being that over 700MB of company e-mail has been hacked by a group who dashingly refer to themselves as ‘MediaDefender-Defenders.’ These e-mails were released onto BitTorrent -- of course -- over the weekend and verily, they are a sight to behold.
Owned by ARTISTdirect, MediaDefender basically operates by setting up accounts on torrent sites spreading fake files across file-sharing networks. The company is then able to collate IP addresses of users downloading the files and send copyright infringement notices to ISPs and/or launch denial of service attacks against the distributors. For example, the fragrantly named a55talk on torrentreactor.to is the 47th most prolific uploader on the site, yet the e-mails reveal that this particular scat-lover was a creation of MediaDefender. Best not download your copy of Curtis from there, eh kids? Maybe you should get it from any of the torrent sites that MediaDefender don’t monitor -- an easier job, now that I can give you a list of the sites that it trains its piggy little eyes upon (top to bottom in order of ‘strength of presence’):
You’d think, given the humanitarian bent of MediaDefender’s work, that it would be doing it all purely for the love of the job. Not so, according to another of the indiscreet e-mails. It states that MediaDefender charges a sweet $4,000 a month for ‘protecting’ one album or $2,000 a month to throw those comforting, motherly arms around a single track. Certainly not chump change. So, who is MediaDefender charging? According to its website: "MediaDefender has been contracted by every major record label and every major movie studio, video game publishers, software publishers, and anime publishers."
Perhaps the most intriguing electronic missives concern the MiiVi.com site that appeared a couple of months back. Basically, this site was a super-fast download portal that also encouraged users to download an app that would enable increased download speeds. Instead, the app was a trojan horse that searched the user’s computer for illegally downloaded material, and all the files on the site were corrupted -- which isn’t surprising considering the site was owned and operated by MediaDefender. And how was this discovered? A simple check of WHOIS revealed that MediaDefender had been too busy wiping its cocaine-gorged nose with $100 bills to bother covering up the fact that the MiiVi domain registration was in its name. As MediaDefender’s glorious leader, Randy Saaf, said in an e-mail when he learned of the busting, “This is really fucked. Let’s pull miivi offline.” Naturally, at the time, Saaf was eager to deny that MiiVi was any sort of honey-pot, that it was merely an internal experiment that was mistakenly released onto the wider internet. Patent bullshit, of course, and the e-mails indeed appear to confirm that he was lying, as they include comments concerning the current take-up rate of the MiiVi trojan horse by members and a discussion of the possibility of relaunching the site under the name of viide.com. The dudes still couldn’t work out how to mask the domain ownership, though...
There’s a ton more information contained in the e-mails, and I’d recommend you visit your friendly neighborhood torrent site for some quick download action should you want to read more. Can’t read? Then why not listen to some leaked MediaDefender phone calls? Considering that the e-mails also contained the names, addresses, and phone numbers of all the main officials of the company, those at MediaDefender can probably expect one or two billion unexpected pizza deliveries in the near future.
No Whammy No Whammy No Whammy STOP! Wzt Hearts Release New LP and Begin Tour Today
Wzt Hearts, the new sensation of the century, have released their sophomore album Threads Rope Spell Making Your Bones (TMT Review) today on Carpark Records. Apparently, the album is a conceptual "reimagining" of the 1981 Black Flag classic Damaged, surely a daring move for any group. But Wzt Hearts are quick to point out that it's not a "cover album," but instead a benefit compilation with the subtitle Instant Karma: Save Darfur. The interesting thing about this benefit album, however, is that it plays entirely in reverse. Yep, the whole album plays backwards! But Wzt Hearts went even one step further by separating the musical parts of the songs and releasing them on four separate discs, requiring listeners to essentially play all four CDs simultaneously in order to hear the "full" album.
Threads Rope Spell Making Your Bones -- Instant Karma: Save Darfur is released worldwide today, with three special-edition U.S. versions exclusive to iTunes, Best Buy, and Target -- each version contains different bonus tracks. Jimmy Chamberlin guest drums on two tracks. Chris Walla produced the album. Colin Meloy co-wrote a song. Dan Deacon endorses the album, etc., etc.
Sponge-worthy:
Bad Brains Re-Enter the Spotlight, Tour, Bradley “Brad” Brains Jr. Finally Beginning to Understand the Prank Phone Calls that Drove His Father to Alcoholism and Suicide
Bad Brains were arguably the first and best hardcore band of all time. They fused punk and reggae like none other, inspiring a generation to play faster than their juvenile, coffee-addled brains could have ever imagined. Then they went downhill, and for a long time absolutely nothing happened.
NOW!
Bad Brains are touring. The members are bona fide legends at this point and, on the heels of their acclaimed new album, Build A Nation, seem poised to claim their place in the pantheon.
I don’t care. I love Bad Brains, and I don’t care. I am only wondering one thing: Does this mean they will collaborate with Lil Jon? I know they’re friends. Lil Jon is a fan of Bad Brains. Everyone likes Lil Jon, so Bad Brains are fans of Lil John. I want to hear Dr. Know and co. play “Banned in D.C.” and “Sailin’ On” as much as the next guy, but I would give my right arm and firstborn son to hear H.R. and Lil Jon have a five-minute conversation with one another, let alone collaborate on what I have no qualms calling the most important thing of the 21st century.
I ask: What amount of money will it take to make this happen? What drugs will it take to make this happen? I will give myself up to the cause. I will get the lowest anyone has ever gotten. I will love Jah. I will burn myself at the stake so long as the last thing I hear before I shuffle off this mortal coil is Lil Jon, drunk out of his mind, screaming his lungs out with Bad Brains.
If you would like to join my church and testify, you may do so at one of these upcoming crunk-free (comparatively) Bad Brains performances:
Pygmalion Music Festival to Host 71 Bands, 70 to Suck and Attract Stupid Frat Boys, My Friends’ Band to Melt Face
Attention Urbana Hipsters: The floor-staring, ironic-dancing, “I liked them better when they were called Pavement” event of the season is fast approaching. Starting Wednesday, September 19, the Pygmalion Music Festival will blow the roof off local bars throughout the Champaign-Urbana area, home to the University of Illinois. Brush up on your Pitchfork review scores because you wouldn’t want to hesitate when your significantly less hip friends ask “have you heard of these guys?”
The festival, in its third year, will be headlined by Andrew Bird and Okkervil River while major artists, including David Bazan, The Redwalls, ?uestlove, Headlights, Casiotone For The Painfully Alone, and Owen, will be playing over the festival’s four-day span.
Unfortunately, none of these artists matter and, in fact, are only listened to by bigots who hate universal suffrage, the abstract concept of liberty, and those adorable pictures of cats with the grammatically incorrect captions.
- Andrew Bird? Nice whistle, idiot.
- Okkervil River? Named after a story named after a river in a place that was once called LENINGRAD. Nice political statement Will.
- David Bazan? Every song on his new EP have unironic alternate titles; even Fall Out Boy has advanced past this.
- The Redwalls? They’re still a band? (No, seriously, is this blowing anyone else’s mind that these dudes are still making music? I thought after bands were featured on MTV 2’s The Leak they simply ceased to exist…)
- Headlights? Sucked when they were called Stars.
- Casiotone For The Painfully Alone? Dude HATES cupcakes.
Owen? The reason American Football broke up was because Mike Kinsella wanted to pursue a solo career, hoping that one day he could play an indie-rock festival in Champaign-Urbana. Pygmalion broke up American Football.
It gets worse. If you do decide to throw caution to wind and see one of these shows (which effectively indicates that you are against the RIAA, but only because you think its anti-piracy measures are not strong enough), you will likely be surrounded by jeep brahs who will promptly attempt to steal your boyfriend/girlfriend and throw a beer can at you (if you’re a dude) or scream things like “ungh gurl, give me your digits” or “so much honey in here I thought I was in a beehive” so loudly you'll be unable to even hear the music (if you’re a female).
Now, I know what you're thinking: “the baseless claims you’ve indiscriminately hurled have changed my mind, but I’ve already purchased the incredibly reasonable $45 festival pass, which grants me access to all shows at all eight associated venues... where can I sell it?” Don’t. While 70 of the bands may not support the Kyoto Protocol or transparency in government, one band still has your social, economic, and rock ‘n’ roll needs covered. Oceans. This is “The Band That Plays What Leonard Cohen Meant To say.”
But don’t take my word on the fact that OCEANS is the pinnacle of art. Consult the following breakdown and make your own decisions about what you think of Oceans' unique brand of post-rock smeared in a Midwest punk rock ethos.
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Andrew Bird V. Oceans
- Andrew Bird has a degree in violin performance from Northwestern University with a degree. A degree tailor-made for amusing the aristocracy.
- Oceans is comprised of altruists seeking to make the human experience better for all, with one member in medical school and the others completing degrees in urban planning, education, and political science.
- Andrew Bird worked with the Squirrel Nut Zippers.
- Oceans work alone. Like James Bond.
Okkervil River V. Oceans
- Okkervil River’s Pygmalion time slot is at 12:20 on a Wednesday night.
- Oceans is already in bed preparing to work their hardest the next day.
- Will Sheff produces critical writings on film, literature, and music for a host of respected publications.
- Oceans ain’t no nine-to-five sellouts.
David Bazan V. Oceans
- The Wikipedia entry on Pedro The Lion refers to their genre as “Slowcore.”
- The Wikipedia article on Oceans talks about the likelihood of water on the Galilean moon Europa and has an infrared map of large underwater features.
The Redwalls V. Oceans
- No counterpoint necessary.
Headlights V. Oceans
- Headlights' songs include quaint narratives about small town life and love.
- In Oceans, "Epic masterpieces unfold like boyhood adventures as lies are told, battles are fought, and friendships are saved, evoking nostalgia with every strum. With the blink of an eye, Oceans kicks in a math rock swagger that sneers and spits as much as it sanctifies. True to their midwestern punk rock ethos, they play every note with the sincerity and honesty that music was meant to be played, making ever performance one to be remembered."
Owen V. Oceans
- Mike Kinsella, Owen, sits on stage statically and plays complex acoustic pieces.
- Oceans will punch you/one another in the face for not feeling it.
Casiotone For The Painfully Alone V. Oceans
- Owen Ashworth wants to revoke the third amendment in the Bill of Rights.
- Oceans don’t want no troops all up in their business.
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You can get the (unnecessary) schedule here but really all that matters is that Oceans will be playing at 8 P.M. on Friday, September 21 at the Canopy Club. Festival-long passes are still available, and tickets for all shows will be for sale at the door.
Full disclosure/plagiarism defense: I would like to thank the members of Oceans for supplying all of the material in quotes.
The Stills Refuse Racy Photo Shoot, Leave Vice; Sign With Arts & Crafts
The supple, smooth bodies, more than half-naked and gracing the pages of the New York City-based hipster bible and free magazine Vice, are sinful in their appeal. Countless beauties, often underage, are semi-clad in the latest fashions while their tattered bangs crowd their inviting stares. So when Vice's music division, Vice Records, approached its band The Stills about joining this class of boho model in a topless photo shoot, one would imagine the Canadian band found themselves flattered.
However, in a shocking turn of events, The Stills' conservative side and former body image issues shone through resulting in an uncomfortable situation for all. At a loss about their label's audacity, the band decided to part ways with Vice and seek out a new, more respectful arrangement. Enter Arts & Crafts.
The Canadian powerhouse label, home to Broken Social Scene and nearly all of their spawn, have been on quite a diversifying tear lately signing Wales startups Los Campesinos! and Ontario rockers The Constantines. The wide net cast by the label, allegedly initiated when it was rumored that Kelly Clarkson and Clive Davis had beef, did not end in a deal with the pop princess but instead Arts & Crafts has bulked up with the addition of the three still-budding rock acts. The Stills, the latest to join the team in lieu of their indecent exposure are currently cooped up in their native Montreal hoping to complete their third LP and follow up to 2006's Without Feathers. Luckily for the fans, you won't have to wait until the record's planned release in Spring of 2008 to catch the group in action, as they plan to perform scattered shows in the area while also traveling to Florida to open for Spoon (and probably visit Disney World).
Catch 'em clothed:
* Spoon
Marley Family to Sue Verizon and Universal, You Sleep Beside Me, I Am on a Train Leaving You as You Read This
Dear Reader, Baby, Sweetheart,
By the time you'll have read this, I'll be gone.
I left at daybreak.
You see, something happened last night, baby. You were sleeping so soundly, and I didn't want to wake you. Your pretty, indie face on the pillow, smiling to yourself. Sugar plums were, like, dancing in your head. You slept, reader baby, and I stared at the ceiling. Wide awake. Contemplating spending the rest of my life with you. I was going to ask you to marry me. But it didn't feel right.
There's God, and love, and this insane force inside of you. The light attaches to you, always.
Reader baby, know this: you're beautiful, and the thing is, I don't know who I am anymore. Something happened.
This happened:
In a landmark defiance of EVERYTHING, I am of a similar viewpoint as a Marley fan. And not just any fan. The Marley family and I are in agreement. Apparently, the Marley family's Fifty Six Hope Road Music Ltd aims to sue both Verizon Wireless and Universal Music Group based on Verizon's try for use of Marley songs as ringtones.
I am siding with the Marleys.
I must confess, though, that I side with the Marleys out of personal interest. You see, reader baby, I'm still in college, and these ringtones may ruin my life. As in:
1. I don't want to hear "Buffalo Soldier" ringing as my fellow COLLEGE KIDZ! make the nightly booty call;
2. I don't want to hear "Buffalo Soldier" on the street;
3. Or by way of an accidental ring ring ring ring in class;
4. At Planned Parenthood;
5. While buying weed,
6. And 100000000000000000000000 puppies,
7. And 343049039403940349 kittens,
8. Or, really, ever.
...
Yes, I side with the Marleys for the sole purpose of killing off any possibility for me to hear a Bob Marley song, ever. Still, reader baby, I can't live with myself knowing that my support of the Marleys, though grossly unintentional, is still, in essence, some support.
You're just too damn good for me.
Goodbye, reader baby. I will love and miss you. Don't try to contact me.
Really, you're beautiful.
Yours,
AJ
Black Dice’s Real Name Is Harold Elwin Dice, Tour
New York, NY (OPENPRESS) May 24, 2005 -- Aruntx Podcasting Syndication Network wants you to know Tuesday 05/24 Is Black Dice Day, declared by Alabama Governor Bob Riley. Governor Riley is encouraging all Alabamians to support and vote for Black Dice as he competes to be the next American Idol. “Our state is truly blessed with many talented people, and I am proud that Bo has made it to the finals," Riley said in a recent interview. Black Dice, 29, of the group "Sugar Money" is a resident of Helena Alabama, a long-time member of GarageBand.com, Discovering The Best Independent Music, and is a finalist of the Fox Television Show American Idol. Aruntx Podcast Reminds You "Tuesday Is Black Dice Day," VOTE FOR BO. Watch American Idol on FOX Television 05/24 8:00 EST - 7:00 C. Aruntx Podcasting Syndication is a venue of contemporary cultural news and entertainment syndication with social sensitivity and moral justification, presenting an Aruntx Radio Show Special today, about American Idol finalist Black Dice and "Sugar Money," in celebration of "Tuesday is Black Dice Day".
Prince to “Reclaim the Internet” By Suing YouTube, eBay, and The Pirate Bay
Once upon a time, oh gorgeously naïve TMT reader, the world was beautiful. Our ruler was of divine right, with a quest to make experimental pop jams -- not only for the cavalier enjoyment of esoteric purple-frilled suit-wearing gents like himself, but for all in the village. That’s charity, folks.
LET IT BE KNOWN: When the artist formerly known as the artist formerly known as Prince ruled over this humble land, he did so with glowing amiability, fervor, and (creepily androgynous) love. None would dare question the good Prince’s charity. He hired peasant children as backup dancers and met weekly with the poor and lowly townspeople to shower them with lavish gifts -- loaves of bread, clean water, Bibles, harps, and the like. Then, he would ceremonially wash their feet.
That excellence passed on, though. Soon, milk and honey stopped flowing. YouTube, eBay, and The Pirate Bay diminished the profits of the Good Prince’s creative genius. As in, they were getting all up in his purple reign. Yea, I said it.
SERIOUSLY, THOUGH: Our favorite (a)sexy one has hired Web Sheriff, a Brit-based company hunting down internet piracy, to aide in his fight against internet companies supposedly promoting copyright violations.
According to Prince, he will “reclaim the Internet.”*
Al Gore** will be doing marketing/promotions for Prince’s reclaiming battle, who will split pillages of conquest, obviously to share with peasants, lowly townspeople, and fame’s close-but-no-cigar almost hottie Haylie Duff***, who works as a fellow at corporate headquarters to continue her grabbing-at-straws attempt to snag a helping of li'l sis Hil Duff’s piece of the pie.
Chin up, Haylie.
* ACTUALLY NOT A JOKE
** It could happen
*** It would happen
Chemical Brothers First Live Tour in Five Years; I Need To Hire A Fact-Checker
Recently, it dawned on my less-than-knowledgeable ass that for years I've been claiming (wrongly, of course) that Natasha Lyonne starred in the music video for "Setting Sun." And I don't mean like, two years. I'm talking a good five or six years, ever since I asked my grandmother (the only member of my immediate family to have cable) to tape MTV's 100 Greatest Music Videos for me. I became enthralled with the video's blase blonde subject, who we are probably supposed to interpret as being on some kind of escapist chemical (clever!) journey throughout the video. She's messy, with dyed strands of yellow hair in her face, staring intently at her cat/wall/TV/ashtray/anything else that could possibly be construed as signs of a vaguely shaky existence. Basically, she's perfect.
She is not, however, Natasha Lyonne.
Natasha Lyonne starred in 1999's gay indie flick But I'm A Cheerleader as a YOU-GUESSED-IT!, and went on to, uh, pretty much nothing except a smaller role in 2003's Party Monster and a major role in the gossip blogs when she trashed the apartment she rented from actor Michael Rapaport the same year.
I understand you may not possess the same wealth of information in your immediate memory as I do concerning Natasha Lyonne, but I have a soft spot for hot messes. I would now like to present you with the following images:
Eh? Eh?
Whatever, I'm embarrassed. The Chemical Brothers are touring. Here are some dates. I'm going to go find the VHS with videos #1-20 and have a pretentious debate with my girlfriend's cat, who I will stare at glassily with my newly dyed blonde hair covering my face.
Natasha Lyonne won't be there:
Shout It Out: Stain Removal and Black Lips Tour
Seeing the Black Lips live is a truly cathartic experience. Everybody has those days when they just reach their boiling point, wanting nothing more than to run around naked, flailing and spitting, screaming until your voice goes hoarse. Unfortunately for us, that behavior is not condoned by a) parents b) employers c) a significant others, or d) anyone. That is, of course, unless you count yourself among the members of Atlanta, Georgia's grittiest blues-punk band, who have been known to spill themselves on stage in a very literal sense. The barrage of bodily fluids, while potentially dangerous and slightly disgusting, is part of what makes the band's live experience legendary, adding both intimacy and an element of grimy lawlessness. Projectile liquids are indeed a very real possibility, if not a staple of the show. Truly a landmark in a concertgoer's career, there are still some things you should know before attending one of the dates on the upcoming Black Lips tour, mainly in the name of stain removal. Heed this guide:
Fluid: SpitMethod of Removal: This can be handled with a simple hand-wiping motion, especially if you're wearing denim jeans. Rub it in -- it'll dry right up.
Fluid: Sweat
Method of Removal: Again, a minor inconvenience. If you're behaving properly, you'll have some of your own, and they can just mix together. Will dry with fresh air.
Fluid: Semen
Method of Removal: Odds are, you've dealt with this before, so you probably have some tricks of your own. But if all else fails, try soda water and baking soda.
Fluid: Blood
Method of Removal: You're shit out of luck, but wear it as a badge. Make it into a souvenir: "I Saw Black Lips and All I Got Was This Gigantic Bloodstain!"
Weather the storm:
Gossip Cancel Their Fall Tour Because a Live Album Is More Important
The Gossip canceled their fall U.S. tour in light of a delay with the release of their live album and DVD, originally scheduled to be released November 16 on Columbia. Oh the irony.
That's all.
