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Boycott Sony & BMG Corporate Multinationals Have Stolen Rolando's Track 430 West Records January 2000 |
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430 West Records Joins in the Fight 430 West joins in the Fight Against the Majors as Sony Records Passes Rolando's Jaguar Track to BMG Detroit, MI - "The original spiritual concept of soul in Rolando's record is something you just can't duplicate in a note by note cover," Detroit recording artist Lenny Burden says. Burden is responding with forceful action to the recent exploitation orchestrated by a major international corporate entity against a small local independent. The collective action taken by Detroit labels is part of a proactive response to the latest developments in the case involving Sony Records' blatant copyright infringement and violation of intellectual property against DJ Rolando and his record label, Underground Resistance. Sony Records Germany has signed the track over to the conglomerate label, BMG. BMG has decided to release the cover version of the track sometime in February, according to industry reports. Underground Resistance originally planned to release remixes of the hit track. Plans were initially scrapped upon Sony’s misappropriation of the track. However, fan response to the situation inspired UR to proceed with the original plan and to expand Jaguar into a larger project. Burden announced today that his label, 430 West Records, will release a compact disc version of Rolando's hit record, "Knights of the Jaguar" as a unified response to the majors’ attempts to bowl over the underground. The compact disc will be more widely available in major retailers across Europe and North America, featuring the original "Knights of the Jaguar" track, previously unreleased DJ Rolando cuts and remixes of "Knights of the Jaguar" by producers Jeff Mills, Mad Mike and Octave One. DJ Rolando and 430 West's DJ Lawrence Burden will be supporting this release with DJ performances as "Brothers United in Black Vinyl" Wed. Jan 26 in New York City at Twilo 2. The Dance Division of Sony Records Germany first notified Underground Resistance of their foul plans for a January release date via a series of emails and faxes sent in December 1999. Sony wrote that it intended to release a "note by note" cover version of the underground hit smash. A Sony executive said that he assumed Underground Resistance would not license the track, so instead, the decision was made to steal it. Sony acknowledged plans to eventually pay Rolando royalties, but the issue of intellectual property and copyright still remains unresolved and unanswered by Sony. Sony Germany actually released both remixes and a cover version of "Jaguar" in retail stores internationally in late December, containing no reference to the original recording. Sony Germany claimed to have pulled the record after a barrage of emails and phone calls protesting the release added to controversy and negative publicity for Sony. Underground Resistance supporters may have succeeded in alerting the corporation to the sensitive nature of such a crime, but the offense and the personal damage to Rolando's name did not cease. Sony opted to pass the heat to BMG executives, who have signed the producers of the cover track, "Jaguar" to their label, and the infraction against Rolando grows in scope with the pending compact disc and vinyl release on BMG. DJ Rolando may have a fight on his hands, but this action by a major label has prompted a showing of strength in the underground community. It is assured that given a voice, this community will not be silent. For over a decade, Direct Beat, 430 West and Underground Resistance Records have teamed up to be major players, proponents, and innovators in the development of Detroit Techno. The response is indicative of how these separate entities come together to defend their music -- even when violated by soul-stealing majors.
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