On the NPR program "Day to Day" today, I report on Beatallica, the Milwaukee-based parody band known for Metallica-infused covers of Beatles songs. As reported previously here on Boing Boing, Sony Music accused them of violating copyright laws, demanded that their webmaster pay "unspecified damages," and forced the band's ISP to shut down their website.
The band known for tunes such as "I Want to Choke Your Band" and "Leper Madonna" reached out to Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich. Thanks to his efforts, Beatallica will soon be back online, and the legal debacle over. Ulrich volunteered to provide assistance with legal negotiations for Beatallica, and asked Metallica's longtime attorney Peter Paterno to try and defuse the situation with Sony on behalf of the dudes from Milwaukee. And now Sony has agreed is indicating that it may agree to drop the case.
Mr. Ulrich is no stranger to matters of intellectual property law and the internet. Five years ago, he stood on the steps of Napster, Inc., hauling boxes full of 300,000 names: all people he said were using Napster to "steal" Metallica tunes. But things have changed. That debate was about who profited from Metallica's music, he says, and this one is about creative rights at the heart of rock and roll itself. Ulrich says he believes that cover bands, mash-ups, and the right to re-interpret art on the internet are things worth fighting for. Thanks in part to Lars, expect to see beatallica.org online again — with a new song release — this week.
Link to NPR story and archived radio segment. Expanded coverage on the NPR website includes streaming versions of a number of Beatallica tunes. Link to NPR Day to Day home.
Previously: Beatallica.org shut down, more Sony nastygrams fly; Beatallica fans respond to Sony nastygram; Lars Ulrich of Metallica steps in.
