ISP
is ordered to give up name of file trader
Internet
Service Provider giant Verizon Communications
was ordered by the courts to give up a file trader using their services.
A federal judge ruled they must fork over the name of a suspected
Kazaa-using, peer-to-peer pirate who is believed to have illegally
shared more than 600 music files in a day, according to a court
spokesperson. The decision may set a precedent that would allow
recording industry investigators to obtain, without having to go
to court, the names of those suspected of illegally using peer-to-peer
services.
The decision is in line with
an RIAA subpoena brought against Verizon on July 24, which provided
the user's specific Internet Protocol address, the key to determining
the exact computer where infringement occurred.
Two weeks later, Verizon refused
to comply, contesting that the Digital Millennium Copyright Act
of 1998 compels ISPs to be forthcoming with information only if
the infringing material resided on or was controlled by the network's
server. The copyrighted songs in this case resided on the user's
hard drive. "We
appreciate the court's decision, which validates our interpretation
of the law," said Cary Sherman, president of the Recording
Industry Association of America. "The illegal distribution
of music on the Internet is a serious issue for musicians, songwriters
and other copyright owners, and the record companies have made great
strides in addressing this problem by educating consumers and providing
them with legitimate alternatives. Now that the court has ordered
Verizon to live up to its obligation under the law, we look forward
to [contacting] the account holder whose identity we were seeking
so we can let them know that what they are doing is illegal."
Judge John D. Bates disagreed
with Verizon's rationale and ordered the company to surrender the
name "promptly," without giving a specific deadline. Three
days before Judge Bates' decision, RIAA chairman and CEO Hilary
Rosen, in her keynote speech at the Midem music conference in France,
said the industry has set its sights on ISPs.
"We will hold ISPs more
responsible," Rosen said. "Let's face it. They know there's
a lot of demand for broadband simply because of the availability
[of file sharing]." Rosen then suggested a scenario in which
ISPs would assist the industry in recouping its losses by handing
over a portion of fees assessed to their customers who use file-swapping
services. More to come on this I'm sure, will keep you posted.
Source: vh1.com
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Ledisi's
'Soul Singer' gets new life at Tommy Boy
Ledisi's
1st album 'Soul Singer' will
get a re-release courtesy of Tommy Boy
Records. The singer originally from New Orleans, Louisiana,
now residing in Oakland is still with her current label
LeSun Records who has struck
a distribution deal with the independant giant. The album has had a successful
debut the first time around in 1999 with such tracks as 'Stop
Livin In Ya Head', 'Free Again',
'Hotel', 'Groove
On' and 'Take Time'
strutting their stuff at one point or another. Ledisi
is currently appearing in San Francisco's Steve
Silver's Beach Blanket Babylon
where she has performed for the last eleven years.
Ledisi
has won several awards including a Goldie
Award for Best of the Bay by San Francisco's
Bay Guardian and Best Local
Artist by citysearch.com.
She now has her 2nd album 'Feeling
Orange but sometimes blue' out now (and doing very
well I might add). Be sure to pick up both sets if you get the
chance.
Def
Jam record mogul Russell Simmons
has announced that his 2nd annual Hip Hop summit will take place
in Atlanta this year. Simmons announced plans for not only his second
national Hip-Hop Summit, but for the first Urban Hip-Hop Music Festival
as well, with both scheduled to take place in Atlanta, GA. The festival
is slated to commence on April 12 at Turner Field, with a
second concert to follow the next day. Being called the 'Woodstock
of hip-hop," Simmons promises a two-day extravaganza
featuring a who's who of the rap arena, with a portion of the proceeds
from the shows to go to charity.
"Just as music played
an important role in the changing of our culture after the original
Woodstock, we are again at a turning point where music — specifically
hip-hop — will have a role in shaping our future," Simmons
said in a statement. "It's time to take that responsibility
seriously."
A day before the event kicks
off, Simmons is also planning to have a wide array of hip-hop community
insiders, from artists to label executives, participate in a Hip-Hop
Summit at Morehouse College,
where they will address issues facing the music industry.
While no participants have
been named, Simmons is close to finalizing all the details and securing
confirmations, according to his spokesperson.
Source: mtv.com
Singer and Actress Nell Carter,
who played the stroppy, laser tongued housekeeper on the 80s
TV sitcom 'Gimme a Break!'
died last Thursday at the age of 54. She collapsed in her Beverly
Hills home and was found by her 13-year-old son Joshua,
said spokesman Roger Lane.
The cause of death was not immediately known. Carter was said
to have suffered from diabetes for years and she underwent two
brain operations in 1992 to fix aneurysms. She recovered and
continued to perform, mostly on stage.