Rhino Kills Free Downloads For Deadheads
You could almost credit the Grateful Dead with creating the first P2P. Long before computer file sharing fans were
encouraged by the band to tape shows and share them freely with friends. This was the
original viral tool turning the band into a touring powerhouse despite often anemic record sales.
That tradition continued on the web with many sites including the bands own dead.net offering downloads of live shows. One of the sites biggest attracts has been the Taper’s Section where each week a new gen was pulled from the band’s legendary vault and made
available for download as a
free mp3.
Not anymore. Thanks to the folks at WMG’s Rhino, who now control the site and most of the Dead’s assets, the shows are now only available streamed directly from the site.
"Please note that beginning today all Taper’s Section audio streams are served via a new media player in both Windows Media Audio and QuickTime Audio formats."
No more free downloads. No more sharing shows with friends.
Just when Grateful Dead stops touring and interest in the band is beginning to fade, Rhino stomps on a tradition and puts and end to the viral promotion that created the Dead phenomena in the first place.
The Internet Archive still hosts tons of Greatful Dead shows at: http://www.archive.org/search.php?query=collection%3Aetree%20AND%20creator%3A%22Grateful%20Dead%22 I’ve gotten some great shows there and they’re all rated as far as quality…
Shame on Rhino, most Deadheads already own all of their studio recording, I know I’ve bought them all (half are still in cassette form though!).
Also, another resource for sharing tunes with friends is to use GigaTribe, which allows you to exchange huge files easily: http://www.gigatribe.com
Not surprising, really, given WMG CEO’s recent proclamation that music’s ubiquity is a major problem, and that WMG plan to make less deals with digital providers in the coming months to attempt to manufacture scarcity. Ridiculous.
It’s astounding that in late 2K7 that major labels and their affiliates still believe streaming is some sort of barrier to those who would download and burn audio.
Especially on Grateful Dead shows, which have in some cases been floating around unfettered for 4o years, or since people could copy reel-to-reel tapes…
I just did a Google search on “recording streaming audio” and it pulled up 2.8 million hits, including at the top of the page two highlighted Streaming Audio Recorder programs.
Rhino is pissin’ in the wind…
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