To clear this up, I'm planning on sending this letter to Band/Management. I need my permission straight from the horse's mouth!
OK, here's the deal. I'm a college student, and I just got my internet connection killed for a while because of "copyright infringement." This is directy referring to my FTP.
I KNOW that the band is not opposed to bootleg sharing, provided that there's no money involved, so I've written a letter to U2 management. My goal (however unrealistic) is to get written permission to run the kind of small FTP that so many others run, because the network jockeys at school want written permission.
My hope is that since the band (and Paul McGuinness) are on record supporting this kind of thing, that maybe I have an outside shot at them putting their money where their mouth is (for lack of a better phrase). I'm sure hoping so. U2 have always been VERY good to their fans.
On that note, here we go. I'd like to have any suggestions, etc.
To Whom It May Concern:
As a long-time fan of U2, and as someone who is making an effort to make live U2 concerts available to other fans, I write to ask a favor. In recent years, the emergence of mp3s as a music medium has brought about questions about the legality of music sharing via the internet, and there have been many legal proceedings regarding this question of copyright. For avid U2 fans such as myself, who openly engage in the trading of recorded concerts over the internet, widely discussed statements from U2 members and Mr. Paul McGuinness have been enough to satisfy us that the concert trading we engage in is allowed by the band.
I am a college student, and the FTP (file transfer protocol) server that I use to share my U2 concert collection is on my personal computer. I must, however, use a campus-provided internet connection for this server, and that is where my problem arises.
My internet connection, and thus the sharing of my U2 concert collection, has been terminated because of alleged copyright violations.
The only music that I host is U2 music, and there are no commercial releases available. In other words, the only music that I am involved with is live U2 concerts, and that is why I am writing to you.
I am writing to request formal written permission to host, exchange, and make available for download, non-commercially available live recordings of U2 music ONLY.
The most important thing for me to make clear about this request is that there has never been, isn?t, and never will be any money involved in my operation. It has been made clear by the band that while they encourage trading of concert recordings, they forbid the sales of these recordings, and I will always respect that. In addition, I believe, as do many other people who have operations like mine (and larger), that by making live U2 concerts available for free, we are helping to eliminate bootlegging-for-profit of U2 concerts.
To make a long story short, the concert sharing that I do has been legitimized by Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Paul McGuinness, in various interviews. If they didn?t approve, then I wouldn?t be making this request, and I also wouldn?t be running my FTP server. The fact that they do approve, and that I am making this request, says a lot about the mutual respect that exists between U2 and their fans. Unfortunately, my knowledge that the band supports what I do is not enough to placate the campus network providers. For that, I ask you for assistance. Thank you.
Enclosed please find a separate page of relevant quotes from U2 members, and also a Stamped, self-addressed envelope.
Sincerely,
Michael Parsons
cc: Principle Management New York
U2 World Service
Interference.com forums
Quotes to be included:
"My feeling is that it is cool for people to share our music -- as long as no one is making money from the process. We tell people who come to our concerts that they can tape the shows if they want. I think it is cool that people are so passionate about our music" -- Bono
"I have no problems with bootlegs. I think, again, if people make recordings and give them to their friends - as long as people don't get ripped off." ? The Edge
"I think bootlegs are something that it's very difficult to stop. Obviously there are fans out there that want to buy them. I don't like overpriced bootlegs that are ripping the fans off. If they're good quality recordings of a show then I'm happy enough that people have access to those things and I know that there's a culture out there that listens to bootlegs. So I kind of tolerate it, provided the quality is good and the fans aren't being ripped off." -- Adam Clayton
"The fact that people circulate and swap recordings they've made at our concerts with tape recorders under their coats I'm actually very relaxed about that. I know the industry is formally opposed to that kind of thing but I'm not. I don't have a problem with it at all." - Paul McGuinness
Thanks much,
-MIke
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My U2 Bootleg Archive
[This message has been edited by Mike P (edited 01-21-2002).]
[This message has been edited by Mike P (edited 01-21-2002).]
