06.12.2003: Copyright theft - now it affects you...:	Ron, IU
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Admit it: the vast majority of us have, in some form or another, completely ignored the rules and regs about copyright - whether getting a lend of a PC CD and copying it, making a minidisc of a mates CD, copying MS Windows for someone else (or giving away ID keys), all that stuff - it's harmless, right? IU has been led to believe by a reasonably informed and trustworthy 'source' that a recent crackdown on bootleg CDs and other music-based material has followed hot on the heels of the Rolling Stones apparently sending minions (or 'scouts') into shops around the City during their recent visit. Having found bootleg material (of more than the Stones, and in more than one shop) the 'scouts' indirectly (apparently) informed IRMA (the labels) who then informed the Garda, who then raided a select number of stores. So what, right? So a few stores lost a few dud CDs. Big deal. Except, to grass roots music producers (ie bands and little labels) it *is* a big deal. More and more we have noticed stores won't take stock from bands, unless they are through a distributor. Tower Records, famous for bucking that trend, apparently refused to stock material from a few recent releases (including North Horizon). Many other stores are going to look at the way they take in stock. Other than the hassle of keeping the stuff for months, trying to make sure the owners got it back (or give permission to dump it), and also trying to sell this material, now they are going to be more and more careful as they cannot be sure that the supplier actually owns the right to supply. If you had a decent quality recording of The Thrills, for example, and stores thought it might sell, how can you prove you have the right to sell copies of it? Thin end of a wedge, at the moment, but we think it may well affect the grass roots market as much as the 'illegal' market. All because the Rolling Stones were (apparently) so short of a few quid that they sent employees out to make sure they were getting their fair share of Rolling Stones sales! *NB: IrishUnsigned is currently in the process of setting up as an "aggregator" or agent for Napster (and, indirectly, Windows Media Player, RealPlayer etc) and we will be looking at other similar options to supplement the 'radio' arrangements we have internationally. Make sure we have your music on the site, and that it is on the IU Radio stream

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