Everyone’s sorry! Enough already, we know. A byproduct of leak culture is the inevitable fallout from policing intellectual property rights. This can be interesting. But as suggested by both Avey Tare and State.ie in this new interview, the Web Sheriff/Grizzly Bear/”Brothersport” saga has already spiraled out of control, from a silly story about a mismanaged IP-protection campaign to a firestorm for an internet perpetually thirsting for flame wars. No more hypertext need be spilled on the matter. UNLESS we’re talking blockquotes from Animal Collective, who’ve until now remained silent and “unavailable for comment.” Avey’s using this Q&A to clarify his band’s involvement in the Web Sheriff’s tactics, and their response to the ensuing blog chatter. Oh and also, how they feel about Grizzly Bear’s role in all of this. So here we go, one more post.
“It doesn’t bother me that ["Brother Sport" is] out on the web,” says Tare. He adds: “We’re not getting down on anybody for liking the track and listening to it.” What did bother him, though, was the French magazine that truly operated as the “global leak source” for the cut, by including it in a podcast later ripped into an MP3 by fans:
I obviously think it’s a bummer for the fact that a magazine would leak one of our tracks or do that kind of thing because I feel like more often than not, we’re so willing to comply with certain requirements that magazines have, doing things that are almost a little bit hard for us to organise like special photoshoots and stuff like that. It feels like you’re kinda being taken advantage of when you put all this work into something and you’re doing this for somebody else and they go behind your back almost and do that kind of thing.
Avey goes on to to discuss the Web Sheriff’s crackdown on the Grizzly Bear blog, saying he has no problems with GB singer (and track poster) Ed Droste (“I’ve met Ed a couple of times and he’s a really nice guy”) and adding, “None of that stuff came from us personally.” However he acknowledges that having the Sheriff act as their agent fairly led people to believe the band supported those heavy handed tactics.
…[To look like we have no idea what's going on is a little bit unfortunate. To attack people that just kind of enjoy the music. I think that's kind of a shame but at the same time, the magazine was also reprimanded. Once it's out there there's not a lot you can do. I find it a little intense and almost tabloid-esque that it becomes so newsworthy at this point. I think that blogs or websites like Pitchfork have to take it to that level where it becomes this like they have nothing better to write about. I think it's a little unfortunate..
That said, he seems to suggest the Web Sheriff's tactics are out of their hands:
I think it's the responsibily [sic] of Domino as a label that has invested a lot in putting our records out. They feel like it is there [sic] responsibility to make it known that that kind of thing shouldn’t be happening. How is done is up in the air but it’s up to them if they want to do that kind of thing and not up to us really.
What is in their hands is returning the favor of saying “I’m sorry” to the guys in Grizzly Bear:
I think we are going to apologise to Ed and that crew just cos we feel badly that they were the ones that took the brunt of the whole thing.
Since everybody’s doing it, we will too. Sorry everybody.
So: Animal Collective like that you’re enjoying their music, but the Web Sheriff may still pop in your comments from time to time. It’s not the band that’s personally employed the Web Sheriff; it’s their label, Domino. And as much as the Sheriff’s tactics were disagreeable to Avey, it’s a matter of vested parties protecting themselves. OK, we’re putting this one to bed. This would not be a good thread to post a link to a zip of Merriweather Post Pavilion, btw.
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Really? Shit, I just had my Merriweather zip ready to post. Sorry guys.
Know how I know web sheriff’s gay?
He has a plastic sheriff’s badge taped to his computer monitor.
“This would not be a good thread to post a link to a zip of Merriweather Post Pavilion, btw.”
ahh, if only it existed.
It’s out there, somewhere. SPIN reviewed “Merriweather…” in this month’s magazine and gave it 4 stars and they went into production for December’s issue just after election day.
For real, I hope this shit gets the Web Sheriff fired.
Animal Collective and Grizzly Bear, good guys, good bands. Clearly chill about the whole thing.
“Phil Donahue lost respect of the crowd when he began voraciously consuming the flesh of a still-half-alive monkey named co-co at the World’s Fair playground (also known as – the big bitch). God dammit. Rated R for intense language and sensuality.”
Glad he mentioned that it’s unfortunate things get blown up because there’s nothing else to write about. That said….going to move on and stop commenting on it….NOW!
the real matter:
Brother Sport or Brothersport?
My Girls is really great. AC and Grizzly Bear should tour together
apologise?
cos?
WHAT IS HAPPENING!?!!!!!!
One song? Really? In this day and age a leak of a single song makes your precious little vagina ache? Why doesn’t animal collective fire their publicists, sell their shit at Ren fairs, shut the fuck up and see how well their records do. Bending over backward for photo shoots? These guys are the whiniest group of bitches you’ve ever worked with. It’s simple: If you don’t want to be in the game take your marbles and go home. Otherwise, try and be flattered that someone wants to hear one song off of your record. You think this is bad, wait until your boss a few years from now at Arthur Treachers makes you re-mop the floor because he didn’t like the way it shined the first time you did it.
Actually he says it’s a shame to attack people who enjoy it so obviously he’s glad people enjoy it. And sorry, this may not be the shit you listen to with bands that may break up a lot but these “whiny bitches” aren’t going anywhere because they’re musicial geniuses who are actually into the music for the right reasons.
So how did My Girls leak?
icantfly.com leaked it, the mp3 is at some blog called http://www.playscount.blogspot.com
Sorry but Grizzly Bear>>>>>Animal Collective
And I mean that in the most supportive way.
And that’s not a typo I think Grizzly Bear have a better songcraft than Animal Collective
but AC are great hype boys. I’m into the new Dance tunes just don’t think they merit long term appreciation
Grizzly Bear is vastly inferior to Animal Collective. Jeeze.
I don’t think either is better. They both use completely different craft. They are both unbelievable at what they do. Yay for moderation.
the hypemachine is about to explode.
Yeah, I would agree with the winey bitch comment if this fine group of musicians weren’t scattered all over the gloab. Also, if you remember correctly Panda Bear actually told leakers to leak the rest of SJ, so obviously the group aren’t too pissed. Next time try doing your research before you bitch.