I'd say something between 2 and 3. The Prince camp sends request upon request for years to remove stuff that they don't have copyright to.
(Another example: they sent photobucket a request to remove all Prince pics, even if they don't have the copyright, so people's photobucket accounts were without Prince pics. I had permission from some photographers to post their pics, but try to fight against photobucket (I believe this was somewhere in 2007))

I know, right after that first incident when HQ had ALL their pictures removed, Photobucket got rid of all my pictures of Prince. I was so mad i could have bit the head off a kitten.

Dayclear said:

So you're on my side after all

garganta said:

In most countries it is your RIGHT to be able to make fun of anyone. Legal and well within your rights.

Prince himself uses samples and parody. He had a disrespectable likeness of Elvis dying on a toilet in a music video... should the Elvis estate sue him?

People have killed others and gotten organized in order to win the freedom of speech and expression. We're living in the boon of it. This website is an example of it.

Prince himself has ridden on artistic freedom despite death threats in response to his free mixing up of Christianity with sexual taboo in his popular years. Or, should he have been silenced by law because his shit was offensive to church/community leaders?

ufoclub said:

Thank you! And let's not forget the way he mocked Ozzy Ozborne

i am.

I will always defend an artist's rights to defend and control their art. Whether it be Prince, Metallica, or the Rolling Stones.

An artist's music and image is everything. It's their legacy. It's how they make sure that their families are financially secure for generations.

It's someone's life's work. You wouldn't want your life's work bastardized.

I totally see where Prince is coming from. Even though he can take it to extremes that I wouldn't necessarily go.

ufoclub said:

i don't think its the same. the elvis thing and ozzy thing are him acting out in a video or a performance. I think his problem is when people take actual pictures of his image and symbol which he created and photoshopped into something else. that's a little different. not saying i agree with him but thought to point that out.

ufoclub said:

ok, so everyone has to accept it becuase it´s one´s right to degrade and ridiculize others in the name of freedom of speech or whatever. it still sucks though and understand prince´s frustration.

wonder505 said:

Now hold on! Making fun of someone is making fun of someone. Whether you do it with Photoshop, a microphone or a video camera. It amazes me how stuff is wrong unless of course, Prince is doing it! Anyone remember what he said about the internet, the last time he decided to take his toys and go home? Something about it "being full of nothing but people wasting their time..."

Yeah...ok!

HatrinaHaterwitz said:

The excuse making is astounding

Every piece of art is copyrighted. What's different about Prince is the way he tries to use that against people, to control what they say about him, the music they hear or the way they hear it.

Remember back then when he complained about the music business taking freedom and the "free the music" chant? Now he's using copyright to make his music a profitable business just for him, welcome to the business experience.

There's a lot of artists and bands now that are freeing their music but they're not resigning their copyright, they exploit it by allowing everyone to hear the music instead of just caring about making money, creating in the end a win-win relationship with their fans.

berarma said:

Who in turn reward and suppport said artist because of the good will shown towards them. For we all must remember all of us, including those who no longer want to give Prince our dollars, PUT. HIS. ASS. IN. THAT. MANSION People forget that very important fact


.
[Edited 2/2/09 16:45pm]

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

Nobody "put his ass in a mansion". His talent bought him that house. None of us own a piece of it because we bought a couple of C.D. You can't go raiding his fridge because you bought Controversy!!!

Prince doesn't owe anyone here anything.

He provides a service, he never made you buy his music.

The only "good will" he owes us is a simple "Thank You" before his first encore!!!

Paris9748430 said:

Uh yeah, without any of us buying his shit he wouldn't have a mansion. reconize.

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

If you didn't buy his music, someone else did.

Again, he shouldn't have to kiss anyone's ass because they bought a C.D.

There are other ways he can show his gratitude.

Paris9748430 said:

THAT'S THE POINT. SOMEONE, ME AND OTHERS BOUGHT HIS SHIT AND WITHOUT OUR CONTRIBUTION TO HIS FAT POCKETS HE WOULDN'T HAVE SHIT!

Just because I don't agree with his tactics of giving the fans grief, doesn't mean I didn't help put him there.

Goddamn

.
[Edited 2/2/09 17:31pm]

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

It's funny 'cause it's true. LOL.

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

Miss me with this "Prince needs to kiss orger ass" shit!!!

You don't go on Wal-Mart's site saying "If it wasn't for me, the Walton Family wouldn't be shit"!!!

Paris9748430 said:

Apparently you don't know me. I stand outside Walmart regularly and tell the waltons to bow down and kiss my ass cuz without us rubes they wouldn't have shit!

We be funkin over here, and over there aint shit...

Paris9748430 said:

Besides, Prince has kissed my ass and I got pics to prove it. Unfortunately he's being really shy these days so I can't show it

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

LIAR!!!

You just proved my point!!!

Paris9748430 said:

Seriously, you don't know me. I am the shit and I announce it regularly

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

I don't want no trouble!!!

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

Whoop! There it is!

garganta said:

I don't think Prince was frustrated when he put his impersonation of Ozzy Osbourne suffering from Parkin Syndrome on DVD (or records a Christian prayer or a parody of a ceremonial speech like "Dearly Beloved...)(or puts a weird Al impersonator in his Partyman video and burns his face to be funny). I think he liked the freedom. I like his freedom to degrade and ridiculize. I hope he doesn't lose his freedom. But he will if keeps pushing control, because the institutions will also control him.

remember how bad this looked to music fans of the world:

"found an article yesterday that mentions Prince's cover of Radiohead and how notorious Prince is with not letting his performances be shared via the web so basically most of the youtube filmings of his coachella show, including the Radiohead cover, were taken down.

Now what's funny is Radiohead is notorious for sharing their music freely and apparently it got back to them that Prince had done this and now they are saying "wait, isn't that our song to censor???"

So what you think? Should the person who performed the cover have the right to censor the taping of that or should the original songwriters have control?"

The question of legality and copyrights should not be an issue over offense/morality/ethics.... it should be about the mathematical value of money stolen or lost. If you get into all the other stuff, it evolves and gets warped into things like killing off a whole race of people because they are "offensive". Short sighted people who cannot fathom the importance of such ideals of tolerance/acceptance/freedom are the reason these horrible situations actually happen. Be long sighted.

I have no problem with copywriting songs, or chasing people that 'steal music.'

However, when a fan makes a banner using your image, what the hell does that have to do with music? It's not like you have a stamp printed on your head, "Personal property of..." Music videos, I can understand. Music, I can understand. Photos...that gives me a 'what the hell' moment.

And also, it's not like Prince didn't want them to use a banner with the new album artwork. He sent banners to Housequake in the first place! He's just pissed because they didn't use his banner, and pitched a hissy fit. Very mature, Prince, very mature.
[Edited 2/2/09 20:51pm]

Tight copyright control?
Say what?

Did you read about a recent lawsuit aginst a fan website/forum?
Did you read about a recent crackdown on them b0otleggars?
Did you notice it is only his rules and for the greater part not actual law what he is 'fighting' against?

Through his deals he is getting the better part of the money, contray to classic record and merchandising contracts, and still he complains when stuff happens that he ignores to take finanially advantage of or that is not even verboten in most countries.


It's just he USA-centric DMCA-like situation where it doesn't come down to a true showdown in front of an impartial judge; instead it's a money game and no longer a law-game where justice, rights and freedoms prevail.
And yes,this situation is exported globally but it is the wrong thing.
Same with the (C) lobby with even longer (C) extensions. 70 years? 90 years?
AS if the musicians can't pay for ma pension like we *have* to.