News > Guns N' Roses
Let Freedom Ring (Just Make Sure It’s Not Copyrighted)
By Johnny Firecloud
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
As you may have heard, our very own Kevin “Skwerl” Cogill has been caught up in a web of bullshit with the Recording Industry Association of America for the past year, following his arrest at gunpoint for streaming nine new Guns N’ Roses tracks prior to the fizzled decade-and-a-half-in-the-making release of Chinese Democracy. His lengthy court battle came to an end earlier today.
Skwerl faced a maximum of a year in prison and $371,000 in fines (likely more than the entire sale of Chinese Democracy has netted so far), but the court reduced his sentence to one year probation, the first two months of which will be served on home confinement – essentially a lighter version of house arrest. He’ll also be required to help produce an anti-piracy PSA with the RIAA, likely to be aired on television and/or radio. So despite the government’s ludicrous argument that an example should be made of the defendant (much like they did with Jammie Thomas), Skwerl won’t actually be spending any time in pound-you-in-the-ass federal prison for streaming some songs on the internet for a few hours.
Looks like Lady Justice may not have her head up her ass after all.
I’m sure Skwerl’s got plenty to say on the matter – he’ll break down the details soon enough. Stay tuned.
bababooey.
No rape = win.
I found this site because of this whole episode, and stayed because I found some really good commentary on music and the music industry.
I’m glad Skwerl didn’t get hit too hard for this, because as much of a GnR fan as I am, the sad fact is that Kevin did more to promote this album than Axl Rose did.
Iam glad for Skwerl it is all ok now!
It was a awesome job that did a wake up call @ the adres of gnr. Thx so much!
gonna cover this tomorrow for the French speaking blogosphere or whatever. Glad you’re ok, Skwerl, and this bodes pretty well for the future of freedom of speech.
On one hand it would seem totally retarded for Skwerl (or anyone) to do jail time for something like this.
On the other hand, I’m an artist, and I want to be in control of how and when my music is released. I surely wouldn’t want incomplete demos to be spread to the masses.
We know that the old model of selling records is on it’s way out, but part of the new model involves digital files rather than plastic discs. So, is giving away the digital files in 2009 all that different than taking a few thousand plastic discs that “fell off the truck” back in 1989 and selling them?
I don’t know, but if I was in a big band who had my shit stolen and leaked on the internet in a way I didn’t want, I’d be pissed.
well, the reason i agreed to do the psa was because i do respect an artist’s right to decide for his or herself how their music is released. i can speak genuinely about that on behalf of riaa, with real regret.
but i’m not going to be an anti-p2p poster boy. while i can afford to pay for music, i strongly feel that p2p and everyday “illegal” sharing helps artists reach those that can’t, or are only passively curious. i believe it directly generates revenue and stimulates the industry at best, causing no harm at worst. and riaa will never convince me otherwise.
but again, i have a great deal of respect for artists. exhibit a: antiquiet. respect for their right to determine for themselves how their art is released should come with that. and in that sense, i will concede to an error in judgment i do not intend to repeat.
congratulations man! I am genuinely happy for you and your family!
That rocks! Glad to know you are going to be safe and well. I can’t wait to see what Skwerl does next!
detox. sike.
Skwerl,
I agree with your statement, currently I have been collaborating with my various contacts from my pre-p2p to current p2p circles on situations such as yours. 10 years ago I could (own) AOL and send people anything they wanted anytime anywhere and no one cared. Look how big identity theft is now? Nothing has changed. Just the system’s inability to control.
(I just moved to the LA county and feel I need to support the local fires burning)and along with the many others since the pre and post napster-era whom;I have been releasing information amongst other people way before the GUI (graphical user interface) was ever integrated to our operating environments which we all survive off of now. HOWEVER, to ensure that those within the the various organizations within our public and governmental systems WILL SOON BE exposed (like yourself) with the truth on how the technology we have created (which they can’t control) has no means to be leveraged against the citizens which keep them working.
That “super cool” agent within the RIAA whom had the resources to (piggy back the packets that track the upload source then make the waves, and eventually get the “guns” and “fear” to show up on your door, well they too shall know what it is like to be served a dish of injustice. With extra servings and a public eye to critic how they handle it.
The revolution that is, has and always will be, that is made up of the (pre-w.w.w.) black and white hat wearing human-beings that are beginning the first of many stages of revealing how unsafe, untrue and unjust the wired and wireless world of data that makes up the strongest virtual force known to mankind really is.
They only way to effectively inform the people is to become fearlessly and truthfully driven by a heart that is personally affected by stories like your own and the many others that just recently have been made into potential “AD’s” and “examples”. This fuel given by the systems that will soon be exposed, is all this is needed to awake the machine that is the underground world of real people; whom allow the government the chance to use the technology they seem to be “controlling” It is only a matter of time before we all get to see the illegal broadcasts and take downs of public sites and organizations that have been suddenly given the power to avoid the constitutionally given powers we have. Those powers inked to our souls since we became this country will once again be returned to the people and not greedy systems that are blindly taking away the lives of the bold and curious. Those who make available the information and those who take it, are in completely different realms when it comes to trying to pin point who is at fault.
Artistry will always be free and always be powerful. I understand (having my own songs and data unknowingly taken and uploaded) how it can be a difficult to see eye to eye with someone who takes from you. But if no one recognizes you, your art, your songs, your data and if no one distributes it “through controlled means or uncontrolled” then we don’t even exists. It takes two to tango in this world and if we keep letting the system dance alone we will never forgive ourselves as artists.
The people will prevail and the system will fall, just keep on keeping on and never let your chin touch your chest. For it is the human energy which the system can never control, and it will be the human energy which will start to control the system!!
One love.
So happy for you Skwerl. I treat music like a pair of pants. I try them on first and if it fits then I buy it. I would say a majority of the time a sale is never lost. What does happen is a sale is gained whether that be an album, shirt, sticker, concert tix, etc. I downloaded White Denim because I had heard good things about them. Fell in love with them and bought all the albums. I downloaded The Dillinger Escape Plan and didn’t like it at all. Didn’t buy anything. The music industry is changing. I think really exciting times are ahead of us.
typos indeed feed the need
congrats man, I cant wait to hear/see this psa tho
[...] Cogill. What you don’t get is a year in prison, a $371,000 fine, or anything but positive publicity for your website. So much for setting an example, RIAA. And congrats, Skwerl, though I should let you know, [...]
[...] Cogill. What you don’t get is a year in prison, a $US371,000 fine, or anything but positive publicity for your website. So much for setting an example, RIAA. And congrats, Skwerl, though I should let you know, [...]
[...] Cogill. What you don’t get is a year in prison, a $371,000 fine, or anything but positive publicity for your website. So much for setting an example, RIAA. And congrats, Skwerl, though I should let you know, [...]
Glad to hear you (mostly) beat the rap, Skwerl! For the PSA, you should use “Mr. Brownstone” for the background music. I’m thinkin’ the RIAA would say file sharing is enough of a slippery slope that: “I used to do a little but the little wouldn’t do it, so the little got more and more” would be appropriate. Sure, you were just streaming the songs, but in my experience, facts and details seldom interfere with government prosecution.
Skwerl… Glad to hear that all this is all over.
I bet it was really cool to be arrested by the fbi.
[...] Cogill. What you don’t get is a year in prison, a $371,000 fine, or anything but positive publicity for your website. So much for setting an example, RIAA. And congrats, Skwerl, though I should let you know, [...]
[...] internet home of the sentenced Kevin “skwerl” Cogill, also reports on the verdict. As you may have heard, our very own Kevin “Skwerl” Cogill has been caught up in a web of [...]
There’s no question who the victim was in this case. It’s like the whole thing was done to promote the album, that’s how music industry works. Some people will now say that the sentence is light, and the whole deal only helped Skwerl promote this blog, but that’s obviously bullshit.
Anyway, I’m glad that it ended relatively well, and Skwerl’s gonna keep up the good work here, on Antiquiet.
BTW. Great favicon.
[...] a post on the antiquiet website Cogill explains why he is doing the public service announcement for the RIAA and his view on [...]
glad you didnt get jail time kevin .it is bulshit. the authorities could have been out there busting bankers for ripping us off for billions but no, they consider guys like you the real threat to democracy…
[...] a post on the antiquiet website Cogill explains why he is doing the public service announcement for the RIAA and his view on [...]
[...] a post on the antiquiet website Cogill explains why he is doing the public service announcement for the RIAA and his view on [...]
Free SKWERL!!!!
This is a big shit!
@ desik:
chinese democracy no less. get it? get it?
You could still get ass-raped at home, you know…
everyone here respects safety words.
Except the dog. But we’ll leave that one alone.
rock it out blog has your back
you know CNET news has an article about this now? Glad you won’t be spending time in jail.
[...] un post del website de antiquiet Cogill explica por que él hace el anuncio del servicio público de la RIAA y además expone su [...]
my heart goes out to kevin. as does the heart of the “Rock it Out! Blog.” We support Kevin and feel he did nothing wrong. skrewl has r back. i liked his versions better than the final versions anyway.
Rock it Out! Blog on youtube has your back. I see no harm in what you did, i think u shouldn’t be punished.
I wasn’t aware this blog existed since I read about this case. I can’t see why it was that bad what you did. And certainly Mr. Axl Rose should: he’s too lazy to do a tour or any PR for this “long awaited album”. It’s quite good, but it bored me after some weeks. The old music he made once with, what I see as GnR, is much better and more fun. Anyway, Axl should appreciate the free PR. Where’s the video for “Better”? It’s finished since months!
Great blog, I’m pleased I’ve found out about it.
[...] a post on the antiquiet website Cogill explains why he is doing the public service announcement for the RIAA and his view on [...]
[...] what may have been one of my final nights of freedom for a couple of months, I accompanied the incomparable Mr. Firecloud to the House Of Blues on Sunset on Tuesday night to [...]
[...] Cogill. What you don’t get is a year in prison, a $371,000 fine, or anything but positive publicity for your website. So much for setting an example, RIAA. And congrats, Skwerl, though I should let you know, [...]
fecking awsome. dude is a legened. :D:D:D:D cant wait to see the next move that skwerl makes lol
I think its bullshit, all you where trying to do is hook us up withe some good music .So we wouldnt have to wait to hear the aweosomeness that is Guns n’ Roses
Everyone should all pay attention to ourselves just slightly better, this page just emphasises the fact.