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RIAA chief asks Napster to apologize
to Metallica
If Napster really wants to bury the hatchet with the Recording
Industry Association of America, it may have to eat crow and
issue a personal apology. A letter from RIAA chief executive
Hilary Rosen to Napster CEO Hank Barry that is making the
rounds on newsgroups asks Barry — or founder Shawn Fanning
— to extend an apology to Metallica and its drummer,
Lars Ulrich.
Ulrich has been a critic of Napster, advocating musicians’
rights for financial compensation. His band, Metallica, sued
the file-swapping company in April for alleged copyright violations.
In her letter to Barry, Rosen was not shy to point out the
irony of Napster’s recent deal with German media conglomerate
Bertelsmann, noting that Ulrich has been heaped with ridicule
for his outspoken criticism of Napster. On Oct. 31, Napster
struck a deal with Bertelsmann to develop a paid subscription
model. Ridicule levied against the band Metallica and Ulrich
can be found across the Web. One Web site, Camp chaos, created
a two-minute cartoon titled “Napster Bad.” In the
animation, Ulrich stands before a background of money bags
with an oaflike James Hetfield, Metallica’s lead singer,
popping up in the background, screaming, “Money good,
Napster bad.” In the letter, Rosen explains why an apology
to Metallica would be appropriate at this juncture.
“I think the band and their team feel very undermined
by the deal announced (Tuesday) even though many of us support
it...You guys have fostered the abuse that Lars and the band
have taken for standing up for their rights, rights which
you have acknowledged in theory in the past but now have a
financial interest in supporting since you are taking Bertelsmann’s
money. Metallica took a stand on behalf of artists...They
have been my heroes in this thing, and I am determined to
make sure that if this thing turns out to benefit everyone,
they are not left out.” An RIAA representative confirmed
that the letter was legitimate but noted that it was intended
for Barry only. “This was a private correspondence between
Hilary and Hank Barry, not intended for the world to see,”
said RIAA spokesman Doug Currie.
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