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'80s Rocker Bryan Adams Clamps Down on Fan Web Sites
If you were an aging rocker with a few hits from decades past occasionally percolating up through the sappy songlists of soft-rock radio stations, would you tell your already slim and likely dwindling fan base to ratchet up the tribute Web sites, maybe to spur on a few album sales? Or would you employ the long arm of the Web Sheriff, and shut'em down! (That exclamation point tells you everything you need to know.)
Bryan Adams – one of Canada's least-impressive imports (well behind Wayne Gretzky and John Candy) – has decided that now is the time to clamp down on his small, yet passionate online fan base, using Web Sheriff, an English firm that bills itself as "Europe's leading internet policing specialist," to enforce use of officially approved images of the musician and legal posting or links to his songs.
Of course, we have no dispute with legal use of MP3s and respect Adams' rights and wishes to be properly compensated for his work.
When the also aging and somewhat more influential artist Prince chose Web Sheriff to clamp down on unauthorized fan sites last year, the action was aggressive and the response was not friendly, with threats of legal action ultimately in play. But, the Bryan Adams Web sites seem to be surrendering to the Sheriff more readily, according to Web Sheriff's John Giacobbi, who says "nothing we've asked for from the fan sites is unreasonable." He also notes, "We're not anti-fan."
In the end, maybe it is just more telling of Adams' fans that they're more ready to comply with their rock idol's wishes than Prince's. Or maybe Web Sheriff itself learned a few lessons about how to get better cooperation before threatening litigation? Either way, it's time to cue up Adams' "Everything I Do (I Do It For You)," which you may recall, was the theme song to the movie Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, starring Kevin Costner, the aging actor with a dwindling fan base. No word yet on what's happening with his unauthorized fan Web sites. [From: The Register.]
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Comments
32
Subscribe to commentsNacho PATAOct 29th 2008 11:16AM
Yes, because nothing shows how much you care love your customers like a good lawsuit.
Just ask SCO.
Wanda CabinOct 29th 2008 11:59PM
Wassup,
Rock me Amadeus,& Adam Ant.Don't (F) wit them either ,hee,hee,hee! Wanda Honda
LindaOct 29th 2008 12:00PM
Goodness, Will! You sound like a bitter, and possibly aging journalist with a dwindling fan base.
andyOct 30th 2008 3:54AM
Linda i read you comment about the bryan adams story and laughed my blank off.. i couldnt agree with your assesment more.. thanks for the laugh..
MrWiteKESOct 29th 2008 1:36PM
Please forgive me, I know not what I do.
kevjohnOct 29th 2008 1:58PM
To the fans this must.... cut like a knife.
BAdams FanOct 29th 2008 4:02PM
Being a member of his fanclub, and having heard from him as to why he is doing this, I have more respect for the guy. Having people claim your identity as theirs and then having to wrangle to get your identity back, he's just trying to reclaim his name.
SigOct 29th 2008 6:52PM
Probably just because of poor investing and a dwindling bank account.
skiracerky458Oct 30th 2008 9:16PM
@ Linda: Don't deny him this pain he's going through.
laurieOct 29th 2008 9:54PM
Hey Will...gee you are an aging writer! (like, so what?) duh.
ray jayOct 29th 2008 10:01PM
You go Byran. For one I am sick and tired of Journalist today that try to be cute like this one. Everything is negative and sarcastic. Its old already.
MindyOct 29th 2008 11:11PM
You mean.... Bryan Adams still has fans???
tracy OxtonNov 25th 2008 11:13AM
Yerrrr BA has thousands of us FANS..We go to see him Live all the time..More than can be said for Other Atrists who never tour..he is a hard working , talented ,Man. He is , Like Brian said claiming back what is rightfully his...Tosser journos who dont even know what day it is half the time and dont know Truth fron Fiction wouldnt take this Copyright infringement ..so why should Bryan Adams..As for dwinddling fan base..take a look at his fan Club ,and ticket sales...
TonyLikeSopranoOct 30th 2008 6:37AM
I guess we "Can stop this thing we started "
What a dillhole~~
cmnr0912Oct 29th 2008 11:04PM
Bryan who?
OndaPoarchNov 14th 2008 11:29AM
LMFAO!!!
BrianOct 29th 2008 11:10PM
Gosh, an article telling us how wrong it is to protect one's intellectual property. I think I'll take this article, not give credit to the author, and post it all over the place without compensating him, in the name of being a fan. Then we'll see how much he enjoys having his work taken and used without permission or payment. It's called copywrite infringement and it's illegal, no matter how much the steal it and spread it internet freeloaders think it's violating their "rights." No one has the right to steal.
DeanOct 29th 2008 11:35PM
What a dummy.
C.T. WarrenOct 30th 2008 11:22PM
You are a real jerk! I hope Wayne Gretzky and Kevin Costner came after you with a hockey stick & baseball bat, and then John Candy can rattle chains in your attic! Were you trying to destroy U.S.-Canadian relations, or just toss out a volley of insults to get attention?
cathy wilsonOct 30th 2008 12:25AM
I have always liked bryan adams music. He rocks and this idiot who wrote the piece is pathetic.