Animal Collective's E-Mail Hacked, Says Deerhunter
Between the Web Sheriff fiasco and back-and-forth apologies, the hubbub surrounding Animal Collective's Merriweather Post Pavilion feels more like a nerdy soap opera than the release of an indie rock album. The drama was ratcheted up a few notches after the Quietus posted what they claim to be a letter from Brian Weitz aka Geologist asking for folks to please leak the album to maintain its start-to-finish integrity. The letter:
it has come to my attention that 2 full length tracks off of our upcoming album, merriweather post pavilion have surfaced online. david, noah, and I please ask that someone assist us and leak all of the remaining tracks on the album.the album is intended to be heard as a whole, and nothing bothers us more than individual tracks leaking and ruining the the overall album experience
-brian Geologist
Bradford Cox calls e-bullshit:
Just got of the phone with Brian Weitz. This was sent out via the bands email earlier this morning:"it has come to my attention that 2 full length tracks off of our upcoming album, merriweather post pavilion have surfaced online. david, noah, and I please ask that someone assist us and leak all of the remaining tracks on the album.
the album is intended to be heard as a whole, and nothing bothers us more than individual tracks leaking and ruining the the overall album experience
-brian Geologist"
Total Bullshit. Someone actually had the nerve to hack into their e-mail account and send this out. The truth is that AC do not want their album to leak and are trying very hard to avoid the drama around said album that has risen to a fever pitch.
I am not trying to involve myself in AC's business, I am just voicing my own independent opinion.
Back in the 90's when I was first starting to make 4-track tapes I had a game where I would make a fake version of an album I was anticipating. If Pavement's Brighten the Corners were coming out soon, I had to wait till release day to hear it. I would record a set of songs that I would want the Pavement album to sound like. Some of those songs ended up becoming Atlas Sound and Deerhunter songs years later.
My advice to those who are so desperate for AC's album to leak is to pick up instruments and make your own version of what you would want it to sound like. Respect the BANDS wishes and wait till release day. Then you can compare your new songs with theirs. Who knows. Maybe your album will be the one people are wanting to leak next year.
That's what AC get for making their password "thewebsheriff." Just kidding. It may be against the blogger code, but I agree with Cox. If you can't wait to the 1/20 release date, you can also go to a listening party. Cox's two-cents appeared at Deerhunter's blog under the header "Weird Energy Why?"
[Photo via BV]
Posted at 9:58 AM by brandon
Tags: Animal Collective | Deerhunter
easy for him to say i bet he already scored a copy
Score = 3
all of this animal collective, deerhunter, brad cox news about leaking this or leaking that......who cares. why are bloggers blogging about this hype? yes, this is pure leaked fabricated stories from them to sell records and stay above the fold on blogs. bradford calling this e-bullshit? im calling he and his little indies cronies out on thier bullshit. stick with music - not too the hype machinery
Score = -6
Though I can see the pros and cons of leaks, downloads, etc., I gotta say, I do kind of miss the days when the first time you heard your favorite band's new album was the day you picked it up at the store.
Score = 15
Its not all that complicated. If you don't download the leak, then you wont "miss the days when the first time you heard your favorite band's new album was the day you picked it up at the store." Some people still enjoy this experience. The music fans that still have integrity.
Score = 14
I agree in full. I've never actually downloaded a leak (though I'll usually succumb to whatever track the band's website offers as the "single"). But there's still something lost when everybody's already talking about it, be it in person or on blogs. Even if you avoid every post or review, it still doesn't seem as fresh. Though it's been years since I've picked up a CD without previously knowing what the album cover looked like.
Score = 2
"The music fans that still have integrity."
Tell us, what's the weather like up there on that cross, Jesus?
Score = 6
Uhh someone should tell Bradford Cox that Animal Collective has a history of saying exactly what Geologist said. From the Strawberry Jam Wikipedia page, which cites Shoutmouth:
Panda Bear talked with Shout Mouth regarding the band's thoughts on the leak:
The only thing we’re really upset about with the leak is that it’s only parts of it. I think there are six songs out there now. People aren’t even able to get the full experience of the album, which bums us all out quite a bit. So if you’re listening leakers [speaking directly into the tape recorder], put up those other three songs, man, pronto.
I think this is more Cox's own opinion than anything regarding Animal Collective.
Score = 0
Uhh someone should tell Erikk that Bradford Cox talked to Geologist before he blogged about the situation.
Bradford Cox is right about everything.
Score = -6
Dood: Wikipedia is user created. It is not "facts". For all we know, you posted that in Wikipedia based on nothing so that you could make a comment on stereogum.
Just saying.
Score = -2
what??? not facts?? does this mean I can't cite it on my term paper now?
Score = 2
Good lord. It has not been a pretty year between Bradford Cox and the internet.
2008, the Year the Net Struck Back!
Score = 4
Can someone please muzzle bradford. That is the most obnoxious post. He has got to be the most annoying person ever.
"Just got of the phone with Brian Weitz..."
"Back in the 90's when I was first starting to make 4-track tapes...."
Bradford shut the fuck up, when you open your mouth I hate your music even more.
Score = -18
Sign me up for Team Bradford.
Score = 3
Man, people sure love using Bradford Cox as a punching bag. Doesn't matter how nice, articulate, smart or right he sounds, it seems people will keep shitting all over him for reasons that have nothing to do with what he's saying.
Score = -1
He's obnoxious and a fame whore. That's why I like to shit on him...
Score = -15
he has nothing to do with this and shouldn't even comment on the situation. By piping up he just makes this mess worse.
Score = 1
Of course he should pipe in. He posted this on his blog, that's what blogs are for. You're saying if there's something going on that he cares about and has something to say about, then he should just shut up and let things unfold because it's none of his business? I don't buy that. He shouldn't have to censor himself for people who can't grow up and rise above.
Score = 2
I agree he shouldn't sensor himself, but when this fiasco has already gone on too long there's no need to keep throwing logs on the fire. Let it die already.
Score = -1
wouldn't geologist have spelled the name of his record correctly?
Score = 6
ive already got 4 songs of my animal collective album finished.
Score = 11
I've already leaked two of those songs.
Score = 11
Know what? I bet most AC fans who would download a leaked album will also buy the proper album in some form
Score = 6
So, if I'm reading that correctly, Bradford Cox's "independent opinion" is that "someone had the nerve to hack into Animal Collective's e-mail?"
That's not an opinion; that's just called making shit up. Why am I the only person to notice this? Am I taking crazy pills?
Score = 0
This fucking MPP drama is turning into the indie rock version of professional wrestling.
Score = 0
Just got back from banging on some trash cans and harmonizing with my friends. God, I hope their album is better than mine.
Score = 3
first, if the guy wanted all of HIS TRACKS leaked, he could just fucking do it himself. this is a ridiculous, obvious publicity stunt. and, this is really lame. it's making me care less and less about the AC record. And, it's making me like Deerhunter less and less as well.
finding out that people whose music you like are douchebags is something that's been going on for ages. I mean, sure, it's lame that John Lennon and Bob Marley were both adulterers. but, when the douchebaggery involves a bunch of phony "controversy" it's offensive to me personally.
this whole thing shows a MASSIVE amount of disrespect for their fans.
Score = -9
Man, that Deerhunter blog sure it's full of entertainment value.
What a goofus story. This is really getting ridiculous.
Also, just because someone downloads a leaked album doesn't necessarily mean they won't get an official release... I'm just saying.
Score = 0
I agree. I actually waited for the phsysical release of microcastles for those exact reasons.
Score = 1
does this mean that some of deerhunter's songs are just what he wanted a new Pavement record to sound like in the 90's?
That sounds a little lame.
Score = 1
Funny. We slag bands like Metallica for their precious behavior regarding leaks, file-sharing, and the like, but when one of our closer-to-earth idols suggests similarly shaky posturing, we " agree." I'm a big AC fan, but I can't get down with the anguish. Now, I've worked for a label in the past [never leaked anything] and I know how much pressure anticipated albums are put under, but candidly, a release date is just lame old-world marketing that has nothing to do with the quality of the work. I'm surprised bands even hold onto those conventions, especially supposedly forward-thinking ones.
Score = 0
Also, I think Bradford is embellishing about recording his own version of Brighten the Corners. If he did, man, I bet that was terrible. How old was he then?
Score = 0
um, should i disable scrobbling to Last.fm
when listening to my copy of Merriweather Post Pavillion?
Score = 0
Forging an email is a lot easier than "hacking an email account." You can do it in a few seconds with most email programs. It's not really "hacking." You don't have to guess any passwords, and it works every time. I could see someone doing this to try to get the album leaked, so Bradford Cox might be right. Doesn't change the fact that he sounds like an ass.
Score = 2
Thanks for the update Bradford! What would we do without you?!?!
Score = 0
hey. who cares.
Score = 0