So as every single one of you probably know, a little over a week ago, we did something crazy and hosted a stream of some new Guns N’ Roses songs we got our hands on. It started the biggest shitstorm any of us have ever been a part of. Last week, TIME Magazine devoted a whole page to the story, Rolling Stone Magazine mentioned me by name, and a million other news outlets have reported variations of the story, ranging from basically accurate to completely absurd. I’d like to defend a few allegations, and correct a few misinterpretations.
First of all, I was very selective about who I talked to about this story. The list is short: Joel Stein of TIME / LA Times, Andy Greene at Rolling Stone, Eliot Van Buskirk at Wired. I also sent a few brief emails to Maura at Idolator. I did a brief live interview, talking shit with Stretch of Maxim Radio, on Sirius Friday morning, and I did a live interview with Martin Stanford of Sky News in the UK. And finally, I did an email interview with UK industry insider magazine Record Of The Day, which I’ll post here next week. Also, with the exception of Maura, all of these people reached out to me first. I was not sending out press releases.
Any part of this story told by anyone not on this list should be taken as speculation or hearsay.
Second, let me clarify why we did it. If we posted an article simply stating that we had new Guns N’ Roses songs, there’s no chance in hell that anyone would believe it. Roughly two weeks prior to our little stunt, I posted an editorial entitled Crying Chinese Democracy, where I warned that not only would no one believe any marketing, promotion, or even rumors, until they saw or heard it, but that it would eventually slip out onto the internet anyway (as anyone would have reasonably predicted). And I theorized that it would be irrelevant either way; leak or no leak, I said that the only way the album would be a net success would be if the music was good enough to move units for years to come. I am right, and I’m confident that in time, my actions and their commercial repercussions (or lack thereof) will help prove it.
The most quoted piece was the most sensational one; the Rolling Stone article. I’ve got nothing against Andy Greene, but he’s a reporter, and he did his job and pulled the best story he could out of all that I told him. Here’s a couple less exciting, but more accurate ways he could have told the story:
I was quoted as referring to the first FBI visit as “kind of an ambush.” The truth is, the two FBI Special Agents were very discreet, and no one at my office even knew who they were or who they were there for, until I told them after in a brief, private heads-up. I was quoted as saying that it was “creepy” that they knew where I worked. I’m not an idiot, my resumé is easily found online and they’re the fuckin’ FBI. Andy was asking me silly things like “wasn’t that creepy, that they knew where you worked?” And if I said, “kinda, but…” he took it as a yes. Furthermore, not that Rolling Stone contradicted this, but to be clear, I invited them to my apartment the following day, picking the time myself, and gave them the files they were after. They didn’t bust in and raid my shit. Both encounters were mutually respectful.
No big deal. But I wanted to clarify that.
The only part that bothered me was when he quoted me as saying “it’s a legal grey area since it wasn’t for download.” I swear I’m not that ignorant. I’ve worked in the music industry, and I wouldn’t be so naïve. There were many questions about legal ramifications over the course of a few phone conversations, and I never had any clear answers. In one of the last ones, I had said who knows, it might be a grey area given that they weren’t up for download (what makes streaming different than unauthorized radio broadcasts?) …And as for ownership, the way I understand it is that while it was Axl’s lawyers that contacted me, it’s the record label that actually owns the recordings. I could be wrong, but I never claimed to be sure one way or the other, and I won’t now.
Joel Stein is a much better writer than Andy Greene, and as such his piece managed to be much more entertaining without the need for sensationalism. He told the story of a chance encounter with my girlfriend that brought us all together, mostly from his perspective. His editor cut a few important but boring paragraphs on the music industry, which I hope to get my hands on and post here at some point in time… But I expected that. Aside from a couple over-simplifications, I completely approve of the TIME story.
I’d like to recognize the guys at Wired for reporting the story responsibly and as accurately as possible. I’ve always been a big fan of Wired. I think I’ll finally subscribe, like I’ve been meaning to.
And Martin Stanford at Sky is awesome.
I originally reported that the tracks were “mastered, finished” versions. After one listen, compared to everything that had come before, I thought they were. Listening closer, some tracks sound like they could be, some not so much. I apologize for that assumption.
Many news outlets are alleging that the songs were given to me by either the record label, or the band’s management, and that it was all part of a publicity stunt to drum up hype for Chinese Democracy. Undercover goes so far as to doubt my very existence. Which I of course find hilarious. While I acknowledge that this has been the most believable and legitimate publicity the album could have possibly gotten after so many false alarms, I assure you that there’s no collusion. How fucked would that be, if they slipped me the album to leak, and then sent the FBI to mess with me?
I’ve been asked if my legal troubles are over. The answer is that they haven’t begun. I’ve only been questioned thus far. Any day now, I could get served with papers. All I can do in the meantime is hope for the best, and get back to business as usual here on Antiquiet. We’ve rocked this boat enough, and we’re moving on, God willing. This wasn’t the first, and it won’t be the last.
About Skwerl
Kevin "Skwerl" Cogill was taught his first computer programming language by his Mother's marijuana dealer at age ten. His first job involved hustling TicketMaster lines on behalf of a New Jersey concert ticket broker at age fourteen, followed by a job in graphic design shortly after graduating high school and trade school simultaneously in 1998. He built his first website in 1996 or so, and continues to do things the way they should be done, rather than the way everyone else does. He's a bit of an asshole, but he's fiercely loyal to his friends, and to fellow fans of good music.
Born and raised in Philadelphia, Skwerl now resides in Los Angeles.
June 29th, 2008 at 7:06 PM
Thanks for the leaks man.
I hope Prostitute, Sorry and Atlas S leak soon.
June 29th, 2008 at 7:18 PM
well if it means anything you are a hero in the GNR community. At this point (and proven after years of false hopes and illsions) without you we may have never even heard some of these songs and versions. I am sure that if you get into some trouble we’ll try to help !
Thanks again man
June 29th, 2008 at 8:32 PM
I read the Rolling Stone article and it made me laugh.
June 29th, 2008 at 11:52 PM
[...] tracks of the long awaited album (15 years, 13 million dollars). That was ten days ago, and he has since been delivered a cease-and-desist letter from Axl, visited by the FBI, and written up in Time, Wired, [...]
June 29th, 2008 at 11:53 PM
I’m glad I got to thank you in person for getting the music out to the fans. The tracks are great — I hope the band takes your advice and releases this album asap. As far as I’m concerned, the record company owes you thanks for all the free press. You’ve been inducted into the achievenerdvana.com hall of fame!
Cheers
Nar
June 30th, 2008 at 3:14 AM
Thanks for the 9 leaks, they’re amazing.
I hope you can leak some more in the future
June 30th, 2008 at 4:00 AM
Unbelievable. I hope Axl Rose personally murders you, get’s caught, tried, and found not-guilty, OJ style. Only, nobody’d hate Axl for it. You are such a piece of poop. I hope you die slowly and painfully and nowfully. You ruinous son of a go kart. You should be trampled upon by the thousand hooves of an abysmal horde. You should be arrested imprisoned and prosecuted into unending, generational debt of pragmatic and spiritual poverty. Seriously, I genuinely revile your action and wish a horrible death upon you. You should die.
June 30th, 2008 at 10:47 AM
Thanks for the leaks, Kevin.
BTW- I think the comment above is in jest.
-Mack
June 30th, 2008 at 3:48 PM
Well I hope you make it through this, considering the sheer happiness it has brought to the fans. Hopefully it has kicked Guns N’ Roses themselves up the arse too.
June 30th, 2008 at 5:17 PM
What a chode.
June 30th, 2008 at 5:39 PM
[...] get a listen to the “leaked” Chinese Democracy posted over at the Antiquiet? I’m eager to hear what the fuss is all [...]
June 30th, 2008 at 9:51 PM
DO YOU HAVE A GODDAMN LAWYER?! please tell me your dumbass has a lawyer.
good god.
July 2nd, 2008 at 12:41 AM
douche. bag.
July 3rd, 2008 at 11:08 PM
Since you were so selective…is there anyone you did NOT talk to? Selective mmm ok. You talked your ass off to anyone who would listen.
August 26th, 2008 at 12:35 AM
Gonna wave it right down in your face…
August 27th, 2008 at 1:25 PM
well, fuck you.
that.
August 27th, 2008 at 1:43 PM
How could you have thought it was Ok to broadcast copyrighted material over the net before it was released?
If someone handed you a copy of the latest Batman movie before the music was added would you assume streaming that would be ok?
Couldn’t you have just played samples of the 1 or 2 songs over the internet to prove you had them instead of the whole songs?
It seems to me as someone in the music business YOU should have known better and don’t be suprised when they make an example of you.
August 28th, 2008 at 7:25 AM
Yes, Skwerl, you weather-bitten baggage – you are a yodelling moronic creature who eats the sewer dwelling eunuch and the rabid neanderthal. May you have a horrific boner.
You are no better than a bovine skanky prick who controls the body of the puke snarfing donkey and the sweaty quack.
August 29th, 2008 at 7:29 AM
Thanks for the free publicity. I really need the money to replenish my ego.
LuvN’Kisses
Axl
August 29th, 2008 at 9:31 AM
You really don’t come off well attempting to snipe at someone else’s writing, but it’s somewhat understandable.
August 29th, 2008 at 1:42 PM
[...] que dá pelo nome de Skwerl, foi detido pelo FBI, qual criminoso de alto risco, porque disponibilizou algumas faixas do novo disco dos GNR? Hum… Não terá o FBI mais nada que fazer? Tipo, não sei, procurar o seu barbudo velho [...]
August 29th, 2008 at 7:37 PM
yo kiero el cd de gunsssssssssssssss
axl lo mejor de los 80 { s jeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
arriba mexico ca……………………….!!!!!!!!!!!!1
August 29th, 2008 at 9:09 PM
I’d set up a donate link on your site so you can start collecting money for legal fees or fines and hope that some sympathetic people are willing to donate. Personally I think 3 years in prison is a little much. A fine – yes definitely, probation – yes definitely, jail time – no. What good is it going to do anyone? GNR is still a great band and will still sell millions of records regardless of this. Was it wrong – yes and you should have known better but we are not perfect and are permitted to make mistakes. I’m sure the members of GNR have broken much worse laws. Good luck
August 31st, 2008 at 3:47 AM
you fucked…. dude
welcome to the http://www.bop.gov, you will be @ the camp for 4-12 months atlease (for first offender) and fined.
you are leaking your saving to pay your lawyer. damn… man… you dummy.
December 29th, 2008 at 4:51 AM
vmrieodrgoqqeywewell, hi admin adn people nice forum indeed. how’s life? hope it’s introduce branch ;)