Commercial US site linking netlabel tracks (+ ringtones?)

choenyi · Post by **choenyi** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 6:11 pm

Hello all,

It is already well known that Russian sites sell netlabel mp3s, but I did not expect to ever see anything vaguely sketchy from an American site. Today I was pointed to a site that sells subsriptions (based in NC, US) that had a choenyi page with several tracks from Yuki Yaki and Kreislauf. Under these was a link for "Choenyi ringtones" (for fck's sake, what?)

OK there were no ringtones there. But I was aghast, so I contacted them:

I am the artist "choenyi." I am disappointed to see my work here and request that all choenyi material be permanently removed and that the choenyi artist page be permanently deleted. You do not have my permission to use any of the tracks on http://www.pcplanets.com/artist-36530-Choenyi.shtml --all of which have been published under Creative Commons copyright laws prohibiting republication without permission. Their presence here is in direct violation of copyright.

This goes forward beyond my work to all work published under Creative Commons. Please do NOT republish music provided through free netlabels. It is illegal for one; it is also against the wishes of the entire netalbel community.

I actually got a response right away, and did not feel so upset anymore:

even though this content is just linked to, we do not host any content...we will honor your wishes and remove it. Additionally, if you are a memebr of ascap, we have licensed the performance rights from them for all mp3s / videos.

We sell itunes and other related materials around the artists music, and do not allow direct downloads, etc..

So you'd better bone up on what's legal and what's not. Your material will be removed within 24 hours. We only want to promote artists who actually desire distribution and promotion, and compensation via song / album sales and ascap licensing fees...

thanks
PcPlanets.com

But, I definitely did not think this was all OK and resolved. I sent this response:

Thank you for the quick reply. I did not realize these tracks were not directly hosted. A quick glance at some commercial artists revealed redirection to iTunes. However, clicking on netlabel tracks does not redirect to the netlabel ... but what had scared me the most, actually, was a link for "choenyi ringtones."

Thank you, in any case, for removing my page.

I think that if you approach netabels with your mission statement and ask permission to link to mp3s, most will be very sympathetic. But part of CC is attribution/permission. This licence is co-owned by the label and the artist. The labels also need attribution and everything should be out on the table before the pages go live.

There also might be a problem in that this is essentially a commercial site. However abstracted it becomes in this situation, part of CC is also "noncommercial." Basically, nobody besides a DJ performing them is allowed to profit from CC releases.

Anyway, thanks again. Some gray area here, I believe.

SO, what do all of YOU think???

I wish to put this out here and I hope that many people, if they find this not in accordance with the way things should be done, will write an email to this company. Maybe start by looking yourself up; if you're an artist or represent a netlabel, you might be there already?

The main page is http://www.pcplanets.com
Contact them http://www.pcplanets.com/contactus.shtml

If I am alone in thinking this is not very cool, then it's no big deal. But if a lot of you think this is not cool, perhaps a flood of your emails will encourage them to think differently. They seem fairly intelligent and reasonable. Thanks, love, & tashi delegs,
kj (choenyi)

choenyi · Post by **choenyi** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 6:23 pm

Hahaha:

No problem, our links are all user submitted, so I'll have to do some research about netlabel, I've never heard of them before.

It's just a service the helps users share music they like.

Brent

Brilliant.

tomashaas · Post by **tomashaas** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 6:35 pm

hmmm, really mad steeling netlabel content to sell it. :evil:

seems that also tropic and sven laux is involved in this.
http://www.pcplanets.com/artist-192610-Sven-laux.shtml

markus masuhr is also involved with insectorama
http://www.pcplanets.com/artist-205946- ... suhr.shtml

keinzweiter and plex records, toni music
http://www.pcplanets.com/index.php?page ... r&x=35&y=5

thats what i found so far.

maybe some netlabels should come together to write a seroious email to stop that sh!t. or contacting a lawyer what is a bit stress.

thx for info choenyi

ToolTech · Post by **ToolTech** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 7:03 pm

http://www.pcplanets.com/artist-102778-Tooltech.shtml

shamankick · Post by **shamankick** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 8:37 pm

Hi there

maybe it's time to found the Netlabels Records International Association
NRIA vs RIAA :twisted:

it's not only a joke, we are a lot, very active, from all over the world
we are like an "industry", we deserve an association to stand up
our activity.

What we need ? many participant, a virtual place (website)

and...let me know !

i'am ready to act and to lend a webserver and a part of my time.

tomashaas · Post by **tomashaas** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 8:46 pm

shamankick wrote:Hi there

maybe it's time to fund the Netlabels Records International Association
NRIA vs RIAA :twisted:

it's not only a joke, we are a lot, very active, from all over the world
we are like an "industry", we deserve an association to stand up
our activity.

What we need ? many participant, a virtual place (website)

and...let me know !

i'am ready to act and to lend a free hosting webserver and a part of my time.

a good idea in my eyes to create a "industry".

let me know how i could help to build something like this.
i would join.

but we have to talk about a system and maybe a "yearly amount" when joining this "industry" to pay lawyers or give law students a small amount for their work in such situations like above.

so far

shamankick · Post by **shamankick** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 9:17 pm

cool

"yearly amount" ? hmm not sure

First what we need it's a maximum of member,
that why it's better to propose free membership.
Money is not the point at this step, and can complicate things.

First step is :
"take your membership card", we'll see how many we are
and then what's next.

the goal is be aware of:

how many netlabel we are,
how many artists we promote
how many production we release,

Don't forget, our power is number.
For "legal affair" maybe we can have advise from "Creative Commons" organisation (?)

ToolTech · Post by **ToolTech** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 10:25 pm

i agree.
we should save our right(s)