Singer James Blunt is no fan of pirates. Not the swash-buckling, rum-swilling brand - the piracy on Blunt's bad side involves illegal downloads of music. The singer has publicly backed Lily Allen's push to create legislation that will eradicate the practice. Blunt writes in The Times: "At long last the Government is looking to legislate to protect the industry. [British government] is looking to engage the internet service providers who, in my opinion, handle stolen goods, and should take much more responsibility. How this legislation pans out, and if it goes through at all, is critical to the survival of the British music business."James Blunt Joins Fight Against Pirates
Singer James Blunt is no fan of pirates. Not the swash-buckling, rum-swilling brand - the piracy on Blunt's bad side involves illegal downloads of music. The singer has publicly backed Lily Allen's push to create legislation that will eradicate the practice. Blunt writes in The Times: "At long last the Government is looking to legislate to protect the industry. [British government] is looking to engage the internet service providers who, in my opinion, handle stolen goods, and should take much more responsibility. How this legislation pans out, and if it goes through at all, is critical to the survival of the British music business."Blunt joins anti-piracy crusader Allen, who earlier wrote, "These guys from huge bands said file-sharing music is fine. It probably is fine for them. They do sell-out arena tours and have the biggest Ferrari collections in the world. For new talent, though, file sharing is a disaster as it's making it harder and harder for new acts to emerge."
James Blunt Snapshots
James Blunt arrives at The National Mutliple Sclerosis Society's 35th Annual Dinner Of Champions at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel on September 16, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. The National Mutliple Sclerosis Society's 35th Annual Dinner Of Champions Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel Los Angeles, CA United States September 16, 2009 Photo by Jesse Grant/WireImage.com To license this image (58382166), contact WireImage.com
Jesse Grant/WireImage.com
James Blunt arrives at The National Mutliple Sclerosis Society's 35th Annual Dinner Of Champions at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel on September 16, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. The National Mutliple Sclerosis Society's 35th Annual Dinner Of Champions Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel Los Angeles, CA United States September 16, 2009 Photo by Jesse Grant/WireImage.com To license this image (58382165), contact WireImage.com
Jesse Grant/WireImage.com
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 16: Recording artist James Blunt attends the National Multiple Sclerosis Society's 35th Annual Dinner Of Champions at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in Los Angeles on September 16, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Tiffany Rose/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** James Blunt
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James Blunt arrives at The National Mutliple Sclerosis Society's 35th Annual Dinner Of Champions at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel on September 16, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. The National Mutliple Sclerosis Society's 35th Annual Dinner Of Champions Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel Los Angeles, CA United States September 16, 2009 Photo by Jesse Grant/WireImage.com To license this image (58382181), contact WireImage.com
Jesse Grant/WireImage.com
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 16: Recording artist James Blunt attends the National Multiple Sclerosis Society's 35th Annual Dinner Of Champions at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in Los Angeles on September 16, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Tiffany Rose/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** James Blunt
Getty Images
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 16: Recording artist James Blunt attends the National Multiple Sclerosis Society's 35th Annual Dinner Of Champions at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in Los Angeles on September 16, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Tiffany Rose/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** James Blunt
Getty Images
Musician James Blunt arrives at The National Multiple Sclerosis Society's 35th Annual Dinner of Champions in Los Angeles on Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2009. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles)
AP
©BAUER-GRIFFIN.COM James Blunt hangs out in Ibiza with a female companion NON-EXCLUSIVE July 05, 2009 Job: 90706P2 Ibiza, Spain www.bauergriffin.com www.bauergriffinonline.com
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©BAUER-GRIFFIN.COM James Blunt hangs out in Ibiza with a female companion NON-EXCLUSIVE July 05, 2009 Job: 90706P2 Ibiza, Spain www.bauergriffin.com www.bauergriffinonline.com
CORDON PRESS/bauergriffinonline.com
©BAUER-GRIFFIN.COM James Blunt hangs out in Ibiza with a female companion NON-EXCLUSIVE July 05, 2009 Job: 90706P2 Ibiza, Spain www.bauergriffin.com www.bauergriffinonline.com
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Blunt and Allen are fighting against groups like the Featured Artists Coalition (FAC), which includes members of Pink Floyd, Radiohead and Blur, which insists that consumers' rights to privacy outweigh the record labels' concerns. In a recent statement, FAC said: "[The] power to demand suspensions of accounts is only achievable through a wide-scale invasion of personal privacy which we believe would result in a dangerous reduction in the rights to protection of the individual. Putting this power in place would reduce the civil liberties of every one of us in the country in order to afford a disincentive threat to a small minority of 'egregious offenders'."
"We believe this would be both disproportionate and unenforceable... We remain steadfast in our belief that making threats against individual music fans is not an effective way to resolve any problems associated with file-sharing."
The group further said, "We wish to make it clear that we believe the creative work of artists should be paid for by those who enjoy it, and that whenever our music is used, royalties should be paid."
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Add a comment
MAYBE JAMES BLUNT SHOULD ASK METALLICA IF SIDEING WITH CORRUPT RECORD COMPANIES ANGAINST YOUR FANS IS A GOOD WAY TO INCREASE RECORD SALES.
Reply
Who is this guy ?
What a Dusche Bag
Reply
Or is it, Guccibag?
Poor James Blunt. Only one Ferrari. No collection of them. Tears, tears, tears.
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He's absolutely right. It's stealing any way you look at it. Piracy is making it harder and harder for smaller bands and song writers to break into the industry. BUT EVEN MORE IMPORTANT, smaller profits mean that labels will be less likely to take a chance on new acts, song writers and niche markets. If piracy existed in the early 90's, we may never have even heard of Nirvana. If piracy continues, I don't want to hear anyone complain about the same 10 songs that get played day in and day out on every station.
Reply
I still doubt it would help him with his sales though, maybe others. I would buy Lily Allen if I had to, but not that dumbass. We already have Cher James Blunt!
Reply
He wants to fight pirates?????
What an Idiot.
Give him a free cruise to the Somalian Coastline
Reply
"For new talent, though, file sharing is a disaster as it's making it harder and harder for new acts to emerge."
What James Blunt meant to say was:
"For new talent, though, file sharing is a disaster as it's making it harder and harder for new acts to have their own Ferrari collection."
Cue the violins.
Reply