Blogger Arrested Over Guns N' Roses Leak

(AP)  A blogger suspected of streaming songs from the unreleased Guns N' Roses album "Chinese Democracy" on his Web site was arrested Wednesday and appeared in court, where his bail was set at $10,000.

FBI agents arrested 27-year-old Kevin Cogill on Wednesday morning on suspicion of violating federal copyright laws. Cogill appeared in court Wednesday afternoon; his girlfriend sat in court and afterward said, "Rally the troops," but declined further comment.

Federal authorities say Cogill posted nine unreleased Guns N' Roses songs on his Web site in June. The songs were later removed.

In later posts, Cogill wrote that the FBI had questioned him and asked his readers if any of them knew a good attorney. He was represented Wednesday by a federal public defender.

According to an arrest affidavit, Cogill admitted to agents that he posted the songs on his Web site. Prosecutors said Wednesday the leak could result in a "significant" financial loss for the band.

Cogill will not face any special Internet restrictions, but was ordered to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on Sept. 17.

"Guns N' Roses representatives have been made aware of the arrests and are leaving the matter to the authorities," said Larry Solters, the band's spokesman.

"Chinese Democracy" is a much anticipated - and repeatedly delayed - new album by Guns N' Roses that is more than 10 years in the making. At least one of the album's songs could be heard legally: The band wrote on its Web site in July that its track, "Shackler's Revenge" will be featured on the video game Rock Band 2, slated for release in September.

[markavelli2]

Even if that albulm is released, even if it''s a well written/recorded album. Having taken 10 years to right it will undoubtably sound out dated. It will sound like the music radio has already worn out.

[keithle1]

Axl Rose killed Guns ''n Roses. He''s a trip.

[keithle1]

They have been working on this album longer than the Beatles were together. Funny. Guns ''n Roses'' time has come & gone. Good band but no one cares anymore.

[brianbwb-2009]

Posted by billpl

Open source is a great platform from which to fight the real piracy, that by the multimedia industry moguls, but the fight is even larger, it goes to the fact that technically, if you watch a movie, and have a few friends over to watch it with you, some shyster could take you to court, for royalty infringement.

The phrase "by opening this package you hereby agree to..." goes against thousands of years of commerce, you are now bound to a contract which you did not sign.

Monsanto, developer of "Frankenfoods", grew genetically modified corn, which is wind pollinated. when the breeze blew across neighboring farms, and their corn showed the traits of Monsantos "Frankencorn", Monsanto sued the farmers for copyright infringement, and the neocon courts decided in their favor.

This is way bigger than software.

[billpl-2009]

"LOLOLOL!! You''''re actually equating the stealing of personally written/copywrited and registered material with the Boston Tea Party?
Oh boy...we''''re in big trouble..." Posted by sbbm

this topic is too huge to spit out in a single thread so let me ask you a few questions.

Do you think Axel Rose would rather manage a McDonalds than be a lead singer if the pay was better?
Would Brad Pitt stop acting if he couldn''t command multi-million dollar contracts?
Would Bill O''Reilly be saying the same cra p if they couldn''t pay him millions to shoot his mouth off?
What would J. K. Rowling stop writing if she had to get a day job to support herself?
Would Alex Rodriguez only bunt for a 1/3 of his salary?

You see there''s been a rebellion going on for quite some time now, well below the surface.
It''s in the software industry.
It''s called "Open Source"
Even though Open Source and copyright infringement are apples and oranges, they have the same impact.
Open Source proves we don''t need these blood sucking mega-corporations to TELL us what we want and how much to pay.
This rebellion will bleed it''s way into the Media and Entertainment Industry and be supercharged upon the entrance of the 2gig net.
It''s going to effect everybody and everything and no one can stop it.
so obvious even a trailer park punk like Kid Rock, can see it coming. I''d bet he''d be one of the first guys to toss tea off a boat if he was around back then.

[brianbwb-2009]

"All these criminals who want artists to work for free don''''''''t get a bit of sympathy from me."
I did not steal anything. I CREATED my own material. On equipment & software I paid for with my money". Posted by shortyfudpuc

So when you get that record deal, read it carefully. terms like "cross collateralization" and other clauses will ensure that the company that promotes and distributes your music will be paid well, you won''t see a single cent.

The RIAA collected almost a half billion dollars suing people for downloads, restaurants that play background music, and other venues, but have yet to pay a single artist that they claim in their suits lost money.

So many of America''s historic music figures never received money for their contribution, mafia tactics took care of that, Little Richard is still trying to get royalties for songs stolen by record firms, George Duke made one of the most beautiful albums, but cannot play his own music, because Verve "owns" it.

Register your songs with ASCAP, BMI, or other publishing groups, and they will charge you a royalty fee to play your own music, after which they subtract their "admin" cut, then pay you some of your own money back.

Copyright law in the US is a shakedown scam, and they are using the US government to pressure other countries to enact their shakedown into their laws.

I am a composer and producer, having worked internationally, I am against the DCMA as it stands.

[shortyfudpuc]

"Latrocinor
Break the law, go to jail. Good.

All these criminals who want artists to work for free don''''t get a bit of sympathy from me."

I did not steal anything. I CREATED my own material. On equipment & software I paid for with my money.

P.S. Sorry for the numerious post that are the same. The publish button said it was disabled & I would have to wait.

[shortyfudpuc]

Thanks to these music industry people(if you will be so kind to call the that) I can no longer make MY OWN RINGTONES, ON MY OWN COMPUTER, WITH MY OWN SOFTWARE AND MIDI COMPONENTS AND PUT THEM ON MY!!! OWN *** PHONE. I really think they need to throw the lobbiest and money people out of Washington. I paid for the phone computer and software and now I cannot use them in a manner I want to because "I MIGHT steal intellectual copyrighted material." I guess if one does something wrong we will shoot the whole village.

[shortyfudpuc]

Thanks to these music industry people(if you will be so kind to call the that) I can no longer make MY OWN RINGTONES, ON MY OWN COMPUTER, WITH MY OWN SOFTWARE AND MIDI COMPONENTS AND PUT THEM ON MY!!! OWN *** PHONE. I really think they need to throw the lobbiest and money people out of Washington. I paid for the phone computer and software and now I cannot use them in a manner I want to because "I MIGHT steal intellectual copyrighted material." I guess if one does something wrong we will shoot the whole village.

[shortyfudpuc]

Thanks to these music industry people(if you will be so kind to call the that) I can no longer make MY OWN RINGTONES, ON MY OWN COMPUTER, WITH MY OWN SOFTWARE AND MIDI COMPONENTS AND PUT THEM ON MY!!! OWN *** PHONE. I really think they need to throw the lobbiest and money people out of Washington. I paid for the phone computer and software and now I cannot use them in a manner I want to because "I MIGHT steal intellectual copyrighted material." I guess if one does something wrong we will shoot the whole village.