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# Industry Bloggers Bite Paul McGuinness Back
- URL: https://www.hypebot.com/industry-bloggers-bite-paul-mcguinness-back/
- Published: 2010-08-19T09:20:00.000Z
- Updated: 2010-08-19T09:20:00.000Z
- Description: As reported earlier this week, U2 manager Paul McGuinness had some humorous and colorful things to say about industry bloggers and the state of music in general. A number of. Continue reading [https://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2010/08/industry-bloggers-bite-paul-mcguinness-back.html]
- Author: admin
- Tags: Uncategorized, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-01-21 10:59

[![image from blog.seattlepi.com](https://a1.typepad.com/6a0111683c7a25970c0133f329e2c1970b-100wi "image from blog.seattlepi.com")](http://blog.seattlepi.com/thebigblog/library/mcguinness.jpg?ref=hypebot.com) As [reported](https://www.hypebot.com/paul-mcguinness-picks-fight-with-industry-bloggers/) earlier this week, U2 manager **Paul McGuinness** had some humorous and colorful things to say about industry bloggers and the **state of music** in general. A number of those "bloggers" decided to respond and critique his new [*GQ* essay](http://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/entertainment/articles/2010-08/13/gq-music-paul-mcguinness-on-music-piracy/file-sharing-on-spotify-and-piracy?ref=hypebot.com).

Naturally, none of these perspectives are from any sort of the “**anonymous gremlins**” that McGuinness feared are shaping the conversation around the future of the music industries, but some of the leading thinkers, academics, and professionals in the field.

**Mike Masnick, Editor of TechDirt:**

[![image from www.cbc.ca](https://a3.typepad.com/6a0111683c7a25970c0134864d5f5b970c-150wi "image from www.cbc.ca")](http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/images/news/photos/2009/04/22/mike-masnick.jpg?ref=hypebot.com) "Hi Paul. My name is **Mike Masnick**… I may be a blogger, but I'm not anonymous. Not only that, **I've also attended** the past few **Midem's**, as well — and have even presented a few times off **the same stage as you** — **and, oddly**, it didn't end in anonymous gremlins and backlash… \[we\] **are not some bogeymen from the dark**… We're people who love music and worry about an industry that is making many **misguided and dangerous decisions** that do more to harm the music world than the new services and technologies you apparently haven't taken the time to understand. **We're not attacking you**." ([Read the rest](http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20100816/18090210644.shtml?ref=hypebot.com).) 

**Jon Newton, Founder of p2pnet:** 

[![image from www.mp3newswire.net](http://a7.typepad.com/6a0111683c7a25970c0134864d6837970c-115wi "image from www.mp3newswire.net")](http://www.mp3newswire.net/Graphics/JonNewton.jpg?ref=hypebot.com) "McGuinness **makes it clear** he still doesn’t understand music fans are the people who keep him and the Big 4 in business and thus **have to be treated with care** and respect, not attacked as criminals and thieves. They have to be taken into the equation, **not left out of it**… ‘Free’ and ‘freedom’ are what the internet is all about. But they’re words McGuinness **hates with a passion**. \[McGuinness\] makes it clear music lovers have to be **taught who’s in charge and made to toe the corporate line**, with frightening repercussions for anyone who fails to do so… his views embody **those of the labels**, and **the politicians** in their pay." ([Read The rest](http://www.p2pnet.net/story/43034?ref=hypebot.com).)

**Andew Dubber, Founder of New Music Strategies:**

[![image from andrewdubber.com](http://a6.typepad.com/6a0111683c7a25970c0133f329f9c6970b-100wi "image from andrewdubber.com")](http://andrewdubber.com/files/headshot.jpg?ref=hypebot.com) "**Hypothetically speaking** – what’s better? A world in which only professionals can create, distribute and make a good living **selling music to consumers** who pay them every time; or a world in which anyone can be a creator if they want to be, and **find an audience** if they care to? Would we prefer a world with a hundred U2s in it, or a **world with a million Jakes**? Or is there something in between those two that we could start to work towards here?" ([Read The rest](http://www.andrewdubber.com/2010/08/a-hundred-u2s-or-a-million-jakes/?ref=hypebot.com).)

**Response to GQ essay**: [R. Millar – A Democratic Solution to File-Sharing](http://weallmakemusic.com/a-democratic-solution-to-file-sharing-2/?ref=hypebot.com).