The nice Hitler people over at American Blues News ( http://www.ameriblues.com/ ) took exception to my reprinting their article on Todd Rundgren's album covering Robert Johnson tunes.
My post, from last spring, even though I gave them full credit in my post and a link back to their site, according to their own instructions, apparently offended them so much that ten months later they e-mailed to threaten me with an unspecified action were I not to remove the offending post by February 9, 2011.
Apparently, this blog is such a media powerhouse that they fear my competition.
Normally, I'd try to arrange a boycott of their advertisers (Guitar Center is one-we can all stop buying out strings there), giving them full credit, of course.
But this is so laughable that I feel sorry for them.
Back when I posted that, I may have had a whopping TEN followers. Now I''m tipping the scales in the low twenties.
This blog is a diversion for me (too much accounting makes Larry a dull boy), and all I was trying to do with the post was spread the word about a blues release from my favorite artist.
I would think they'd have welcomed the publicity. Let's face it-CD's aren't exactly setting sales records, and blues CD's are kind of the red-headed stepchildren in a shrinking industry.
American Blues News should be embracing someone like me, who advocates listening to music that was not conceived on American Idol, and speaks out against illegal downloading.
Maybe we should all boycott their advertisiers. All twenty of us. Let's go picket Guitar Center! Who's with me?
Sorry American Blues News....life's too short for you to worry about the small stuff, and you guys need to get a life.
I'm also going to post this on my blog at My Space-I've got several thousand friends there, most of them in the music biz. They may be able to cause you some agita.
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HOBBY OR ADDICTION?
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Unbelievable! I could understand their position if in fact you were generating some income with this blog. Why should you be making ANY money with something that these bozos originally wrote and published? But since that was NOT the case, since this blog generates NO income for you whatsoever, their position is not only nonsensical but downright STUPID!
ReplyDeleteDISCDUDE, you are entirely correct in thinking that American Blues News ought to have APPRECIATED the free advertising you were providing for them. After all, they could use all they can get, since I never even knew they existed until you posted this. American Blues News? Who dat?!
Whenever I borrow something from another source, I always give full credit to that source and include a link back to it, just as you did with the Todd Rugrat piece. And I always figure that if the original source ever even learns of my borrowing, they would appreciate the free advertising - even though, like yours, my readership is minuscule.
Only the smallest (and smallest minded) of outfits could possibly feel threatened by your borrowing an article from them - and an article with such a very limited potentially interested audience, at that!
Consider me on the bandwagon boycott! I will never again visit or support American Blues News (as if I ever did) and if I ever buy a guitar and learn to play, I will not buy my guitar strings at Guitar Center!
:o)
Furthermore, if I were you, I would send a link for this blog bit to American Blues News, just to let them know that you are now publicly sticking it to them, whereas before you were promoting them for free. Let 'em think about what maroons they are!
~ D-FensDogg
'Loyal American Underground'
Brother, who'd a thunk? You did the best thing though--take it down or off your site. However, I don't know that I'd boycott their advertisers like Guitar Center or anything. They weren't the nimrods causing the situation, American Blues News is. That's who I want to boycott. I can't believe some people get so bent out of shape over the small things. Live and learn.
ReplyDeleteEV-The only advantage to boycotting advertisers is a big enough one could cause them to withdraw advertising.
ReplyDeleteBut the truth is, it is their article and they have the right to ask that I do not copy it.
I just found it funny that I was fully compliant with their rules, and they still threatened me with litigation instead of simply asking.
LC