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Warner Music Screws Led Zeppelin FansBy George Ziemann -- December 13, 2007 Three days ago, Led Zeppelin got back together after 28 years and performed a two and a half hour set that everyone lucky enough to have seen seems to agree was magic. The next day, a few videos popped up on YouTube. There was a BBC clip of "Black Dog" that was way too short and a pretty convincing argument that, yes, they still are the best fucking band on the planet. Less convincing were blurry cameraphone versions of "Stairway to Heaven" and "Kashmir." I never did get to see "Kashmir" because that video was being farked at the time and the sound quality on "Stairway" was so poor that I couldn't listen to the whole thing. As of yesterday, they're gone, all replaced with: This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by Warner Music Group. My first reaction to this, of course, was annoyance. I never got to see Led Zeppelin the first time around. They have a reunion and WMG won't even let us see a couple of crappy videos of it? But no-o-o-o... "...we inadvertently went to war with consumers by denying them what they wanted and could otherwise find..." That's what Warner Music CEO Edgar Bronfman told us less than a month ago. This week's activity shows that nothing has changed. They won't even let us see fuzzy cameraphone videos with tinny sound. The annoyance doesn't last long, though, replaced by amusement at realizing that none of those videos could have possibly infringed on whatever Led Zeppelin copyrights WMG may control because the record label had nothing whatsoever to do with the recording. They even had the clip from the BBC News taken down, even though I'd be willing to bet the BBC probably sent their own camera team to film it. You can't infringe on something that doesn't exist. Nothing was copied and, more specifically, not one frame was duplicated from any "intellectual property," in any media form, that Warner Music Group has copyrighted or will ever copyright. WMG has no right over these clips, no ownership whatsoever. They belong to whomever recorded them. The "copyright claim" that they sent to YouTube is bogus. The other side of the argument, if this was the 70s and Peter Grant was in the room, he'd stomp your ass and smash your camera. There is also the possibility that the band saw them, said, "My God. We can't let people watch this. It's bloody horrid." I don't think this improves the legal position though, especially in regards to the BBC. But there's something else here, at least with me. I held out some hope that Led Zep could avoid a major label at least for the duration of the reunion show, but without doing anything, Warner says they own it. I'm a hardcore RIAA boycotter. This has never interfered with my relationship to Led Zeppelin before because, hey, I already had the boxed set before this all started. And more Page and Plant. Two days ago, when the crappy clips were available, I wanted to see more, and hopefully something in focus, maybe filmed from less than a quarter-mile away, using actual microphones and cameras instead of cellphones. I would have broken my boycott for Led Zeppelin if there was anything to buy other than another boxed set of the same songs. Probably still will for a DVD of this event, if one is ever released. At least that's how I feel this week. By the time it comes out, should such a thing occur, my interest will probably wane. And WMG will "inadvertently" remind me several times that they are still not to be funded by anyone with a conscience. Sooner or later, it will show up on cable TV. I've already waited this long... Later that same day... All the videos are back at YouTube. They're no better than they were two days ago, but Kashmir is still worth a look-see. |