To say I know who Keith Urban is would be scandalous. I’ve since learned, in the six seconds of research done for this here post, that he’s something of a country music singer. He must be a good singer, too, since he recently won the People’s Choice Awards for Favorite Male Artist. In his acceptance speech, he thanked people for listening to his music, adding, “I don’t even care if you download it illegally, give it to your friends, I really don’t care.” And then it all came crashing down.
You see, Mr. Urban is signed to Capitol Records, which is a member of the Recording Industry Association of America, public enemy number one to twenty-somethings and teens who grew up with Napster, Kazaa, LimeWire, and BitTorrent. (Kids these days are all about Rapishare and the like.) His comments, that he “[doesn’t] care” if people download his music, so long as they listen to his music, must have upset his minders. For you see, Mr. Urban has really changed his tune. I hope you caught that clever bit I did there.
Speaking to Tennessean.com, your source for news about Tennessee, one would gather, Mr. Urban recanted his support for people’s support:
What I said came out nothing like I meant. I was referring to the old days when you’d buy a record, do a cassette tape and give it to your girlfriend, and then maybe she likes it and becomes a fan. For the record, I absolutely care about my music not being taken for free. But I love when people are passionate and want to turn friends on to music.
To me, it sounds like Mr. Urban truly meant what he said originally, that so long as people hear his music, however that may be, he’s cool with it. Now, his record label, the men with the checkbooks, probably didn’t appreciate that sentiment, not being artist themselves. Hence, all this backtracking.
And thus concludes today’s edition of Keith Urban news. Be sure to tune in tomorrow when we discuss his thoughts on the iPad and why he refuses to re-spec his Priest from Dark to Holy.
I loved his work on the TV show Lost.
via TorrentFreak