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Muse's Message: In-line with the Band's Actions?


jenniferchapin

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Don't get me wrong: I really love this band and the music, and I think that it is useful as inspiration to promote revolution and get people thinking no matter what the answer to this question is. Also, I don't know anything about Muse's business associations outside the U.S., where I live. However, I noticed that the band is signed under Warner Music Group, which suggests that Muse might not be entirely, or maybe not at all, practicing what they preach. Warner Brothers is a HUGE capitalistic venture that has its fingers in the jam jar of the "package {that} keep us wrapped in greed" and a huge hand in unequal distribution of wealth, creating millionaires and billionaires who haven't necessarily worked any harder than the average person trapped in poverty in this country, but who become so because they have socioeconomic advantages or are just good talkers and networkers. On youtube, which is supposed to be a place for free exchange of information, Warner Music Group has banned Muse videos, e.g. "Shine Through" on copyright claims, meaning they want people to pay to listen. Is Muse being hypocritical, or merely working within the limitations of the current system? If the answer is the latter, is the band doing anything to offset the damage it is doing by making WMG executives fatter cats than they already are? I wonder how Muse would answer this question. Anyone know what that answer might be?

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If the answer is the latter, is the band doing anything to offset the damage it is doing by making WMG executives fatter cats than they already are?

 

Yes. At night they put on Robin Hood costumes with tights and sneak around stealing money from Warner Bros. execs and give it to the poor. Why do you think they want to "promote revolution"? Clearly they want Muse fans to put on our tights(as their merry men, of course) and rise up against capitalism...I'm not sure I could survive another day in a world where I can't watch Muse videos on Youtube.

 

All joking aside, I think they're just making good music and doing what they love. I doubt seriously a band that posts twitpics of each other sleeping really take themselves that seriously. That doesn't mean that they're hypocrites, it means that they're entertainers.

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Yes. At night they put on Robin Hood costumes with tights and sneak around stealing money from Warner Bros. execs and give it to the poor. Why do you think they want to "promote revolution"? Clearly they want Muse fans to put on our tights(as their merry men, of course) and rise up against capitalism...I'm not sure I could survive another day in a world where I can't watch Muse videos on Youtube.

 

All joking aside, I think they're just making good music and doing what they love. I doubt seriously a band that posts twitpics of each other sleeping really take themselves that seriously. That doesn't mean that they're hypocrites, it means that they're entertainers.

Haha, and funny I admit. But, really, the argument that the band members are "silly" doesn't do anything to contradict being serious about one's work and message. And, actually, anti-caplitalists, in my experience, know how to have fun better than the stuffy old farts that are running the system now, so I'd say that their antics actually support the idea that they care about what they are saying.

All joking aside, I do have to respectfully disagree with your assessment that they aren't hypocrites, for the very definition of the word is to say one thing and do another.

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You're entitled to your opinion and it's fine if you wish to take lyrical content to an extreme as you have chosen to do. Evidently you know plenty of anti-capitalist, party-animals that take their work very seriously, so I can understand why Muse is unable to live up to your standards.

 

However I have to point out that you claim to be a fan of Muse, so I can only assume that at some point you've probably purchased their music. I find it hard to take your complaints that Muse are hypocrites seriously when you live within the US and have, essentially, given of your own money to WMG by purchasing their music. If you're really concerned that Muse are "making WMG executives fatter cats than they already are" but have purchased their music or merchandise, are you not a hypocrite by your own definition?

 

I'm inclined to think you simply want to start an argument on the board for some reason. (And Americans wonder why others view us as pugnacious...go figure!) To each his own. Good luck with that.

 

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Yes. At night they put on Robin Hood costumes with tights and sneak around stealing money from Warner Bros. execs and give it to the poor. Why do you think they want to "promote revolution"? Clearly they want Muse fans to put on our tights(as their merry men, of course) and rise up against capitalism...I'm not sure I could survive another day in a world where I can't watch Muse videos on Youtube.

 

All joking aside, I think they're just making good music and doing what they love. I doubt seriously a band that posts twitpics of each other sleeping really take themselves that seriously. That doesn't mean that they're hypocrites, it means that they're entertainers.

 

I like to run around at night in tights stealing from people. :ninja:

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Ah, I love a good question like this :happy:

 

However, I noticed that the band is signed under Warner Music Group, which suggests that Muse might not be entirely, or maybe not at all, practicing what they preach. Warner Brothers is a HUGE capitalistic venture that has its fingers in the jam jar of the "package {that} keep us wrapped in greed" and a huge hand in unequal distribution of wealth, creating millionaires and billionaires who haven't necessarily worked any harder than the average person trapped in poverty in this country, but who become so because they have socioeconomic advantages or are just good talkers and networkers.

 

Unfortunately this is the nature of capitalism.

 

On youtube, which is supposed to be a place for free exchange of information, Warner Music Group has banned Muse videos, e.g. "Shine Through" on copyright claims, meaning they want people to pay to listen. Is Muse being hypocritical, or merely working within the limitations of the current system? If the answer is the latter, is the band doing anything to offset the damage it is doing by making WMG executives fatter cats than they already are? I wonder how Muse would answer this question. Anyone know what that answer might be?

 

Copyright is actually a fairly recent concept, and as such its hard for the music industry to get a handle on it. By blocking videos on YouTube, WMG is trying to maintain control over the recordings they legitimately own. While I'm not saying its a good thing, it is entirely within their legal rights. I think for the band, this isn't exactly something they can contest with the label. Remember that they are signed to a contract, and this (most likely, considering what recording contracts are usually like) gives WMG the licence to the recordings- meaning they can block them where they like. It is unlikely the band has much power to contest this, and its not something they could exactly drop their label over.

WMG are making money through a product- just as, say, a book publisher makes money from distributing the works of its enlisted authors. And if you were to say, copy a novel and distribute it around for free (even without trying to pretend it was your own), that would be a violation of their copyright, just as YouTube becomes a violation of the label's.

 

The "damage" being done really depends on your view of the industries in general. The executives who make money in these positions are people who are doing their jobs. I don't see exactly how this is damage in any way? Unless you mean the YouTube copyright thing, in which case people can simply go to muse.mu and listen to everything there. WMG's blocking of YouTube basically boils down (as far as I can see) to the fact that you can rip from YouTube, but not from muse.mu.

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Muse showed their displeasure at Warner removing their music from free listening sites, if that has any relevance. Goodness knows where the article is though, where that's stated.

 

Also this is a good interview with Matt in which some of the thinking behind being with Warner is addressed.

 

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