Warner Bros are a bunch of Corksuckers!

[sadaist]

So I have the US Fest VH concert on a dvd. I recently transferred it onto my pc since that's where I watch most of my stuff now. It's pro-shot but horrible quality. The same we've all seen 1,000 times over here & there. So I decide to sell my dvd to someone who doesn't have the full concert version. Not for much. $10 which includes packing & free shipping anywhere in the US. So I might clear $5 for it (maybe less after eBay & Paypal fees). So I'm not looking to make money, just get rid of it to another VH fan.

THEN I GET THIS GEM EMAIL......


eBay Listing Removed: Copyright Violation - Unauthorized Item

You recently listed the following auction-style listing:

Van Halen live dvd - US Festival 1983 - full concert

The listing was removed because it violated eBay policy. We notified members who placed bids on the item that the listing has been canceled.

The rights owner, Warner Music Group, notified eBay that this listing violates intellectual property rights. When eBay receives a report of this type of violation, we remove the listing to comply with the law.

Only copyright owners can copy, distribute, perform, or publicly display their work. eBay doesn't allow sellers to list unauthorized copies of copyrighted works, even if they're unpublished. Unauthorized copies include (but aren't limited to) backup, pirated, duplicated, or bootlegged copies.

Please be aware that any additional violations of this policy may result in the suspension of your account. eBay understands that you may be concerned about this situation.We encourage you to contact Warner Music Group directly if you have any questions.

You can send an email to: auctionqueries@grayzone.com



Alright Warner Bros...if we can't have this concert footage, then YOU release it! Sell it for $40 and make a gaggle of money. If this were an official release, I wouldn't be burning copies or anything illegal. Just makes me mad that they claim ownership of this yet won't release a quality version to us. Then if we try to share with others we get slammed.

It's not like I had 10 listed for sale and am burning them as fast as I can sell them. Just selling the one copy I have that I got from eBay a few years ago. How do they know it's an "unauthorized" copy? CAUSE THEY REFUSE TO RELEASE IT!

[jero]

Bunch of wankers!

[Panamark]

I feel for ya Sadaist..

They even tried to fuck with us (The DLR Army) but they can
FUCK OFF ! Coz we are still here

Warner Brothers

Sadaist, this might make you feel better, it would have cost those wankers over 100 times more
than $5 to arrange the legal order and paperwork to remove your listing...

[BITEYOASS]

I'd say to Warner Bros. by quoting one of their most famous movies "Go ahead! Make my day!"

[sadaist]

I feel for ya Sadaist..

They even tried to fuck with us (The DLR Army) but they can
FUCK OFF ! Coz we are still here

Warner Brothers

Sadaist, this might make you feel better, it would have cost those wankers over 100 times more
than $5 to arrange the legal order and paperwork to remove your listing...

True. But I can't risk being shit canned from eBay since I sell a ton of other stuff on there. Oh well. Here's to hoping for them to release some stuff in the future.

[twonabomber]

i guess there isn't a "why you shouldn't buy bootlegs" thread here.

if you want someone to have it, offer to give it away.

[Terry]

The funny thing is the Van Halen US Fest performance has already been released on Netflix under the title Van Halen Live Rarities...the cows have pretty much already left the barn far as this performance goes; probably the single most heavily bootlegged CVH appearance.

twonabomber is right, though. Once money exchanges hands, it kicks it up to an actionable legal level. A one-on-one trade or "free exchange" that bypasses an auction site is the way to go about it (proper etiquette being that the person wanting the title offer, on the sly, to send a reasonable "shipping & handling / copying labor" fee if an actual trade isn't involved, just as a way of being polite and making an attempt to compensate for materials, time and postage).

[sadaist]

Since it is considered a "bootleg", my question is how did it get out? It was pro shot with several cameras. What's the story, if any, on how this footage originally came out?

[twonabomber]

the US Festival aired on Showtime. can't remember if it was live or a week after.

[chefcraig]

The situation is utterly idiotic. A good segment of the audience is clamoring for the material, yet Time/Warner refuses to issue it. Yet if an individual does attempt to distribute some copies, they are slapped with a cease and desist injunction by the same company. Talk about having your cake and not eating it too. In the meantime, those thirsty for Van Halen product must be content to buy sneakers, guitar gizmos or even guitars themselves, made to EVH's personal specifications. The ultimate irony being the man himself has not used one to create anything worthwhile in over a decade (some would say longer).

[LoungeMachine]

I know I'll probably get flamed for this, but I don't blame WB for taking this action.

Protecting the things you own is pretty straightforward, and in fact in this case could mean they dont want it out there, because they are getting ready to turn a profit from it. I doubt it, but that's besides the point.

I could see trying to sell it through a forum, or CL, but come on, something as high profile as ebay, of course is going to draw a red card.



But just to be clear, fuck WB anyway....

[twonabomber]

I could see trying to sell it through a forum

that's not a real good idea. i'd say 90% of forum regulars know this stuff is out there for free, if some turd showed up out of the blue and his first post was "i have bootlegs for sale" he'd take a huge amount of shit.

just give it away. what's Media Mail cost, 85 cents?

[sonrisa salvaje]

I produced and shot a video that i was transferring to dvd and selling on ebay. This was all professionally done and i paid about 700 bucks for the production involved. Anyway, the subject of the interview i did had been involved in other organizations of interest. When i sold it on Ebay, in my description i noted what organizations this person had been affiliated with. Sure enough, i got the same red flag messages from Ebay advising that one organization had copyright problems with it. I called up Ebay and explained to them that i owned the fucking interview and had produced the dvd. Just because i mention that a guy used to work for someone doesn't mean that the company can come back and say i am infringing. It was insane. I had to explain the shit to 3 different people before they seemed to get it.
My point being, Ebay is the worst about trying to catch copyright infringement, even when there is none going on, so don't be surprised if you get fucked with.

[sadaist]

I know I'll probably get flamed for this, but I don't blame WB for taking this action.

Protecting the things you own is pretty straightforward, and in fact in this case could mean they dont want it out there, because they are getting ready to turn a profit from it. I doubt it, but that's besides the point.

I could see trying to sell it through a forum, or CL, but come on, something as high profile as ebay, of course is going to draw a red card.



But just to be clear, fuck WB anyway....

Totally true. I saw some others listed between $75 - $95. Geez! I didn't really think much of it other than clearing out some old stuff. I'm actually mailing it to a guy that asked a question on it before it was pulled. He's sending me a new pack of guitar strings for it. Win/Win.

I just wish that the quality versions of this would be released. I mean hell, it's been 26 years. Shit or get off the pot WB (and Eddie).

[chefcraig]

that's not a real good idea. i'd say 90% of forum regulars know this stuff is out there for free, if some turd showed up out of the blue and his first post was "i have bootlegs for sale" he'd take a huge amount of shit.

just give it away. what's Media Mail cost, 85 cents?

Thank you. It burns my ass when some dork will come along and say "I've got videos for sale, 15 bucks (and up) each-includes sleeve...". The truth is, these guys burn an inferior quality video (usually second or third generation that they have gotten elsewhere, therefore exploiting someone else's work) onto a Grade-Z disc, print up an embarrassingly inaccurate insert with questionable artwork and ship it via snail mail to unsuspecting folks that either do not realize the material is available at sites like jamtothis.com and others, or simply feel it is cheaper/less hassle than burning their own.