Boycott Sony / BMG Resources: summary  |  Jaguar  |  interviews  |  affiliates  action  |  contact  |  media  |  mailing list |  links Official Correspondence & Press Releases: Mad Mike  |  Sony  |  UR  |  BMG  |  Backstage  |  430 West Other Correspondence & Opinion: TP  |  Agent Drew  |  Simon  |  Bliss Jaguar Headlines UR Has Been Ripped Off - 12-08-99 Sony Informs UR of Their Intentions - 12-10-99 UR Contacts the Underground - 12-11-99 Terrence Parker's Two Cents - 12-11-99 Sony Recalls the Fake Jaguar - 12-17-99 UR Expresses Their Disgust With Sony - 12-18-99 Sony's Deception - 12-20-99 The Thieves Have Moved to BMG - 01-10-00 BMG Releases Fake Jaguar - 01-15-00 Agent Drew on BMG and the BPI - 01-16-00 BMG Response: "You Don't Understand!" - 01-20-00 DJ Bliss Demands a BMG Recall - 01-21-00 UR's Official Response to BMG - 01-23-00 430 West Records Press Release - 01-24-00 BMG Expresses No Concern for Consumers - 01-25-00 BMG's Zelnick Responds to DJ Bliss - 01-26-00 BMG Maps Out a Response - 01-26-00 Wirestation Reporter Discovers BMG Coverup - 01-27-00 Harris Contacted by BMG's Clive Rich - 01-27-00 Harris & BMG's Clemon Williams Converse - 01-30-00 BackPage Revels in Fake Jaguar - 02-07-00 DJ Bliss Responds to BMG - 02-07-00   Sony Informs UR of Their Intentions December 10, 1999 From: Dirk Dreyer To: Ur@submerge.com   Please forward this message to DJ Rolando and Mad Mike Hello Rolando & Mike, sorry for not contacting you on this way earlier but I did not realise the relationship between Submerge and UR. I have found this adress on the Submerge webside. My only contact to you so far is __________ but I prefer the direct contact. As you sure know, our promo release of the cover version of your track from the 'Knights Of The Underground' EP is currently talk of the techno community. Let me explain the history of the idea and our point of view. I bought the 12" six months ago and enjoyed hearing the Jaguar whole summer. The feedback to the track is amazing, I have never seen people - no matter if house, techno and even trance fans - enjoying one tune like this one. It seems to be the first genre - crossover track for years since the split of 'techno house' from the early 90's to different styles and fanbases. In my way of 'industry thinking' it is a track worth to be available for lot of people, much more than just people going to vinyl shops. The philosophy of Underground Resistance not to cooperate with the industry is well known Your title names like 'message to the majors' and the liner notes on your records are not misunderstandable. I understand that you don't want to have any relationship with companies like Sony. Nevertheless we have tried to license the track for a compilation via our vinyl partner Discomania but we did not get a response. As we don't want to be seen as guys who rip off or bootleg a well known track, we have chosen the way of rerecording the track tone by tone. Indeed the new version has lost some of the typical Detroit flavour, what makes me still prefer the original. On the CD will be the original writer and publishing credits that you get the publishing money that you deserve. I know that you, Rolando, have met our promoter _________ aka ___________ when you played at Stammheim / Kassel. Please let me know your thoughts about the story. All I get so far is rumours. Kind regards Dirk Dreyer A&R Manager Sony   Related Articles and Correspondence: UR Contacts the Underground  |  Terrence Parker's Two Cents  |  UR Has Been Ripped Off   Sony Recalls Fake Jaguar December, 1999 Mike & Rolando, unfortunately you were not able to get back to me personally. Some direct words from you to us could have avoided a lot of misunderstandings, wrong suspicions and excitement causing damage to both sides. Obviously you think, that it is our aim to make UR customers buy Sony records. Kind of paradoxical. We don't share your point of view that a cover version of Jaguar makes you sell less records. The people interested in your original vinyl are way different to Sony buyers. People who have bought UR records will still buy UR records. In the past days we have received a lot of feedback from the underground to our cover. Apart from some people just abusing Sony Music with 4-letter words, many people express their feelings in a detailed and reasonable style. We understand that you generally disagree with the whole major company business. In this case Sony can be reproached for picking up someone elses idea for profit reasons without taking care of the attitude of the inventor. We realize, that even that we are save on the legal side and the reactions from the ?overground? to our version are euphoric, its commercial release would cause a damage to the relationship of the industry to the underground that could not be compensated. We see ourselves as a company supporting and benefitting from inventive artists. Instead of trying to benefit from the huge buzz that has been created, we have decided to respect your attitude and declare that we will not work any further on the Jaguar cover. Sony Music will not commercially release the track rather on CD maxi or compilations. We are quite sure, that a different company will use the idea and milk the cashcow. We are sorry that we have hurt your feelings. Finally at least the UR record will benefit from the story. We wish you good luck and a lot of sales for this classic piece of music. Regards, Dirk Dreyer A&R Manager Sony Music Dance Divsion   Related Articles and Correspondence: UR Expresses Their Disgust With Sony  |  Terrence Parker's Two Cents   Sony's Deception December 20, 1999 From: >Dirk Dreyer< To: < UR >, < Cornelius Harris > Thanks for your emails. Once again we declare, that we have stopped all actions regarding our version. Sony will not release it on CD maxi or compilations or licence the track to other companies. The vinyl shipping and the clubpromotion has been stopped last week. Sony has canceled the record deal with the producers. We appologize for the way we have disrespected your attitude. Regards, Dirk   Related Articles and Correspondence: The Thieves Have Moved to BMG  |  BMG Releases Fake Jaguar  |   UR Expresses Their Disgust With Sony   Slappy's Note: Renegade Rhythms later discovered that Dirk Dreyer's statement, "we have stopped all actions regarding our version", was untrue. Dirk Dreyer is either Sony's dupe or he is a liar. The Sony Corporation sold their "tone by tone" copy of the Jaguar license to BMG.   Please feel free to email Sony & BMG to voice your opinion.   Sign the petition at http://mycal.net/ifj/.

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