Evile Guitarist Slams Illegal Downloading
Band Photo: Evile (?)
Guitarist Ol Drake of up-and-coming U.K. thrashers EVILE — whose Flemming Rassmusen-produced (METALLICA, MORBID ANGEL) debut album, "Enter the Grave", will be released on August 27 via Earache Records — has posted the following statement regarding illegally distributed copies of the CD, which is currently making the rounds on torrent sites and via various file-sharing networks:
"If someone downloads an album I think it makes the album sound alot fucking worse.
"Growing up when I bought CDs, I loved having the whole package to it. Vinyl or CD, I'd leaf through everything while listening to it. In a way, getting a feel for the album. I don't understand people who would still have a file on their computer over a fucking old-school CD. It's beyond me why someone could be so disrespectful towards a band by downloading an album, liking it, and not buying it. They're not supporting that band, it's plain stealing. Illegal? Duh?
"I remember at a meeting with the label, we were told about a signing with MORBID ANGEL where a kid brought a CD-R burn of an album up and asked for them to sign it. He just got told to fuck right off regardless of his 'I love MORBID ANGEL' comments. That's how I see it, good for them.
"For me, an album's packaging has alway affected how good an album is. If it's a great album with great packaging/artwork, there's nothing better (METALLICA '…And Justice for All', SEPULTURA 'Beneath the Remains'/'Arise'). If it's got shite artwork, it somehow doesnt come across as good as it should to me (MEGADETH 'Risk', ANNIHILATOR 'Remains'). So when someone downloads something and they don't even have any packaging to go by, they just have the songs on a computer with a shitty little jpeg of the cover, I think it ultimately makes the songs sound not as good. When I hear [METALLICA's] 'Master of Puppets' I (somehow) kind of hear/see that awesome cover, the pictures of the band in the booklet and get a feel for the band at that point in time in their career. The packaging is a landmark in the band's progression and career, why wouldn't someone want that? We put a fuckload of work into the actual packaging and layout/feel of the whole CD, not just the writing and recording. People don't realise that. They're paying for more than just the music. We sat down and spent alot of time thinking and working on how we could make a CD package that would appeal to the people we wrote the music for. Just like we did for the music. Just like all other bands who made packaging for their CDs.
"For a band like EVILE, we're just starting out. Downloading will affect us more than people think. We aren't METALLICA, They've no huge worry about their product not selling. If we sell hardly anything people don't realise how much that can contribute to us not making another CD. It's really that simple."
Source: Blabbermouth
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17 Comments on "Evile Guitarist Slams Illegal Downloading"
2. writes:
I have to go back to argument that they're also getting a greater deal of fans they might not have had before with their disk on a torrent site. I know downloading hurts sales and that record companies not only use that to make money but also to see how "well" a band is doing. I'm a teenager of the internet and torrenting age so I can't really say I grew up with an awesome package when I bought a cd, just a tiny a$$ booklet, and an overpriced piece of plastic. I'm sure when this band was unsigned they were giving demos away after locals shows, but now that they have a business contract, they've gotta make sure they have sales or they're f***ed. And honestly, a cd bought and a cd downloaded sound exactly the same to me.
3. writes:
.... or maybe people download cds so that if it sucks they didnt waste there money on a huge piece of sh**? its cool nowadays that there is myspace and people can actually get a chance to listen to cds before they decide to buy them, but up until like 3-4 years ago you would pretty much have to go through the piracy route in order to listen to anything new, other than some sh**ty recordings at purevolume.
5. writes:
Actually I think that telling that kid to f*** off was quite justified. I'm the last person to argue against downloading music,( almost 90% of my music comes from Limewire, the rest from cd's) But how f***ing stupid do you have to be to bring aburnt cd of a bands music and then ask them to sign that?
"Hey I banged Your sister yesterday, so I was wondering if I could crash at your place tonight dude". That kinda mentality strikes me with this situation. f***in dumbass mofo.
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11. writes:
First off cds cost money. Not everyone has an extra 12 to 16 bucks burning in their pocket. Many kids, like me before my access to a computer, would have their friends burn copies. I don't listen to music so I can leaf through pictures of the band. It's supposed to be about the music and giving an outlet to people, but I guess emotion went out the door as anti-depressants walked in. Secondly bands don't make jack off their cds! It's all in touring! Thirdly the lower quality of sound you hear from an mp3 could be the result of many factors. An mp3's faults aren't as bad as you make them out to be though they are faults nonetheless. Not to mention technology is forever advancing and these negatives will soon be null.
15. writes:
how would i know? its the internet, you can say whatever bullsh** you want to say, if you want to pick an argument over that, whatever. im not insinuating anything, but music tends to break up at high volumes on lots of speakers, so it wouldnt even matter about fidelity.
16. writes:
Ol is totally right here - say what you will about Morbid Angel flipping that kid off, the idea was right. While record sales are at an all time low, demand for bands on the live circuit has never been higher - and unfortunately the only way to sustain a band's ability to make records is to provide their company with figures that say 'this sells', and then they'll let the bands tour / record effectively again.
I love the packaging of music - it makes all the difference. MP3s have their limits, and they don't sound too hot either compared to .wav or whatever.
17. writes:
I am growing up daily into an adult. The more I grow up, the more I learn to respect the years of passion to make an album. Musicians should recieve proper credit. They have worked hard to reach that level of skills with their instruments and music.
Even though some of us may not be wealthy enough to purchaase every CD we enjoy, but we have to understand the situation as in in our own shoes. We would not want someone else not giving credit to what we have been passionate about for our entire lives.
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1. zMETALlica writes:
He doesn't really 'slam' it, he just doesn't think it is right and reminds us how important the album package is. it is on the way out with internet services such as itunes taking off. kinda sad really, but also the future.