| CD Baby DIY Musician Podcast |
 Dec. 14,
2008
Ep.41 : What's Your Story?
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| www.legalsounds.com - is this legal? |
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I've just discovered that my last album is available for mp3 download from: www.legalsounds.com. who are based in Moscow.
My digital distribution is only authorised through CD Baby and that website is not on the list of companies which my music has been submitted to...
...and here's the "best bit" - my whole album can be downloaded for $1.08!!
Just wondering if any other artists have encountered this with their own music and also, if CD Baby can shed any light upon it?
All the best,
Chris
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Chris,
We are somewhat familiar with sites like the one you mention. The
unfortunate short answer is, as far as we can tell, there is nothing that can be
done to prevent their existence.
There is a considerable demand for music in many territories that currently
are not able to financially support rates that artists are used to being paid for
a download. For this reason, there is a lack of legitimate download options,
which creates a breeding ground for sites such as legalsounds. We have not
been able to discern the legality of such a store (which offers major label &
indie content), but their site claims to be covered by "license ЛС-3М-05-09
of the Russian Multimedia and Internet Society".
We can guarantee that your music was not supplied to legalsounds by CD Baby
directly, nor indirectly without a digital partner being in breach of contract.
(Which we would obviously not take lightly.) This site seems to offer music
spanning a vast array of artists (including most major label acts), and we
honestly aren't sure who their content providers are.
If you ever have a question about a digital retailer that doesn't appear to be
covered by your CD Baby digital distribution, please feel free to drop us an e-
mail (cdbaby@cdbaby.com), or "report a problem" under the [digital] link in
your member account.
Hope this helps!
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Hello Phil,
Many thanks for the helpful information. I certainly didn’t think for a moment that CD Baby had supplied legalsounds with my music.
I won’t be expecting a percentage payment from them any time soon…
I’ve since found another Russian-based website who are also selling my album for less than $2.00 and no doubt there will be many more!
Sounds like a case of, “These are our regulations for this country and we’re complying with them – so tough!”.
The moment an artist’s first copy of a physical or digital album leaves home, this is what they’re potentially up against. The dodgy dealers only need to purchase it once (if at all) then distribute copies until their heart’s content.
Yet, mention some form of DRM which may help in some cases and almost everyone (including the artists themselves!) is up in arms!
To look on the brighter side of things though… who would want to give their credit card details etc. to these companies.
Regards,
Chris
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You raise a great and valid point about people being weary to submit credit card information to such a questionable service!
It is a frustrating situation, and one that likely casts a perceived threat far more than it does an actual one.
I know that I don't lose a lot of sleep over these Russian-based sites, and continue to drive my group's fans (if we have any!) to legitimate download options. :)
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I just had some success with this. Wrote them and told them that
even though I probably couldn't stop them in Russia, I could
prevent them from displaying the site across US soil due to
copyright infringement.
"
2008/10/7 Les Fradkin :
Gentlemen, While I may not be able to stop your infringement of
my material
in Russia, it is showing up in the US and that DOES constitute
infringement.
Take me off your site or else! Les Fradkin Page referenced:
http://www.legalsounds.com/search?
pattern=les+fradkin&x=15&y=4&searchType=All
They wrote me back the follwoing:
From: support@legalsounds.com
Subject: Re: Copyright Infringement
Date: October 7, 2008 3:30:03 PM MDT
To: lfradkin@mac.com
"Hello,
Your album been deleted. In 1 year, nobody ordered your
album."
--
Kind Regards,
Michael
Legalsounds.com Support Team.
Well, thank goodness for small favors. So this approach does
seem to deter them.
Les
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Our band, (Hot Buttered Anal) is on this site as well and we didnt give them permission to sell our stuff. We will be writing to them as well. Thanks for the info. guys!
Bob/HBA
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Hot Buttered Anal?!
Holy crap! that's the "band name of the day!"
LOFL!
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Those sites are run by the Russian mob. I don't mind them stealing my stuff, as long as they offer me their protection when I'm in town.
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Hey Guys,
I spent a summer in Russia a few years back. During my stay, I noticed it was very common for dept. stores, mom and pop shops, and everything in between to sell VHS dubs of major Hollywood movies, as well as Tape and CD dubs of major label releases. The Russian local I was staying with told me that Russia essentially does not enforce copyright laws. They either don't have them, or don't have the resources to enforce them. It was bizzare to see pirated materials on sale out in the open in major stores. It's very common over there. It sucks, but that seems to be the way things are done in that part of the world. Glad to see you took some direct action. You are right, because of the internet, they are certainly violating laws in the U.S., even if not in their own country.
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Good one Jack! I'm with you. haha.
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| by G
on Friday November 07 2008 @ 04:53PM PST [ reply | parent ] |
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Those sites are perfectly legal... in Russia.
However, you might get somewhere by writing to Visa and Mastercard. I believe they stopped processing transactions to allmp3.com.
Long before the Internet, bootlegged CDs accounted for virtually all music sales in places like Russia. For whatever reason, some countries have developed very little creative/intellectual property over the years and don't have much respect for it. To be fair, $9.99 USD is probably a lot of money to someone that lives in poorer parts of the world.
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| by ed
on Saturday November 08 2008 @ 07:15AM PST [ reply | parent ] |
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"license ËÑ-3Ì-05-09
of the Russian Multimedia and Internet Society"
I'm familiar with that license. It states, in brief:
Theft and corruption is way of life in glorious Russian State. Try and stop us, Yankee Dog. We go Georgia on your ass!
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| by
on Friday November 14 2008 @ 07:03AM PST [ reply | parent ] |
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Hmm... Guess I shouldn't buy the "As I Lay Dying" CDs from them then. Knew 1.08 dollars was to good to be true...
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| NOTE: If you need a reply you should email CD Baby directly instead of posting here. We don't often read old message board postings, and have no way of replying to them!
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