- Early last month, I wrote an Op-Ed in the form of an open letter to Sheryl Crow about her recent uninformed, lie-riddled RIAA/RAC (Recording Artist’s Coalition) spin statement on MGM v Grokster, downloadable as a .pdf here.
Among her party line allegations were claims that filesharing so-called “copyright-protected” music was killing the music business and eliminating thousands of jobs in the artistic and manufacturing sectors of the industry:
"But, if nobody pays for it, how do the musicians, singers, arrangers, engineers, producers and songwriters get paid? How about the people who create the CD and DVD artwork and photography? What about the people who work in the plants that manufacture the CDs and DVDs or the people who work in music stores. Their livelihoods depend on people paying for the music that is created. If these people are not paid, how do they pay their rent and the utility bills? How can they afford transportation or groceries? The highly visible 'stars' who we hear on the radio and see on TV represent less than 5% of the music world. The rest of that world consists of ordinary people who work hard to support themselves and their families and who often struggle just to make ends meet. The musicians, the singers and songwriters among them, are all dreaming of that big break, but few of them will get it."
We strongly suspect these words were written by RIAA lawyers rather than Crow herself because she clearly has no idea what file-sharing means or how it works. But her main concern, really, still seems to be about her and the "less than 5% of the music world" that actually makes money, including Crow. This was made abundantly clear to me – personally and professionally.
After my piece was published on p2pnet and picked up by several news sites and many, many p2p message boards, I was constantly being asked if Crow had read and/or responded to it, or if I’d been in contact with her at all.
As far as I know, she hadn’t read it, and still hasn’t read it and in fact, I hadn't really expected her to reply and wasn’t even thinking of trying to get a response – until people started asking me for one.
So, two weeks ago I contacted Ms Crow’s attorney in Los Angeles to request an interview with Sheryl. Her lawyer, “Mr X” (for now), emailed me and asked me to submit all enquiries and future emails to him.
I immediately sent him a summary of the topics I wanted to discuss and said I'd forward a formal list of specific questions.
And I did impress upon him the immediate need for an open discussion between the RIAA’s and RAC’s highest-profiled opponent of filesharing, and her filesharing fans and foes. Because much of the future of p2p is now in the hands of the courts and lawmakers in several countries, there could be no better time to finally have the “stars” listen to the customers.
That was two weeks ago and I haven’t received so much as an email “read receipt” from Mr X.
According to Billboard www.billboard.com and Sheryl Crow’s web site (which, it says, she never visits), she's not touring at the moment and has no tour dates or events scheduled for any time in the future.
The only recent “news” posted is a long, drawn-out, soapy tear-jerker of an obituary for her dog.
The only conclusion I can draw is Sheryl Crow hates her fans – whether they’re filesharers or not – and doesn't want to address the real issues surrounding P2P.
It’s either that, or she’s still grieving for her dog and hasn’t been strong enough to read her emails.
Well, Sheryl, I won’t give you the benefit of the doubt. Sorry to hear about your dog, but that’s life and life goes on. There are more important things to worry about and take care of.
Sure, filesharing isn’t the most important issue of the day. We know that. But it’s the issue that we’re here to discuss, and obviously one that you feel strongly about – so strongly that you even addressed the US Congress on it – and the consequences are starting to be felt now.
You’ve had two weeks to acknowledge my request for an interview. Where R U?
Your apparent refusal to engage in an open discussion with filesharers only serves to alienate and insult the customers who pay you and listen to your music. It’s clear that you don’t care about the fans. You don’t care that innocent people are being illegally terrorized into submission by the RIAA. You don’t care that whole families and communities are being penalized by the RIAA’s greed.
You just don’t care, do you?
And you have no idea what it’s like to be part of the wonderful, helpful filesharing community at large. Working stiffs, students, mothers, fathers, children, dead grandmothers, bill-payers – and those you purport to represent in the music world – all helping and informing each other for free - are all among the hundreds of thousands of file-sharers around the world. And yes, believe it or not, some of them are even your fans.
You continue to try to brainwash youngsters with advertisements and in-school programs, making them believe they’re criminals and “pirates” for participating in lawful activities which hurt no-one.
You and the RIAA even go as far as urging children to inform on their friends and parents for using filesharing programs.
You continue to waste tax-payer money by filing frivolous lawsuits against innocent people around the world, even when you have no proof of a crime nor jurisdiction in other countries.
Meanwhile, the indies and unsigned musicians who live in the shadow of the successful "less than 5% of the music world" aren't being heard because your cartel is only interested in producing crappy remixes and “Best of Sheryl Crow” albums.
File-sharers are regular people. They're not pirates or thieves and they're not doing anything illegal. And they have a voice that deserves to be heard by the industry that labels them “hardened criminals”.
Do you hope we’ll go away if you just ignore us? Sorry, but that’s not gonna happen.
Sheryl, it’s been two whole weeks since I emailed you.
