RIAA fights a Company it Purports to Protect

Canadian music giant funds battle against RIAA | The Register:

Canada's biggest record label, publisher and management company is helping out a family sued by the Recording Industry Ass. Of America for copyright infringement.

The privately-owned Nettwerk Music Group is intervening, it says, because the songs downloaded and identified by the RIAA by the Gruebel family include Avril Lavigne, a Nettwerk management client. Nettwerk will fund the Gruebel's defense.

"The current actions of the RIAA are not in my artists' best interests," said Nettwerk chief executive Terry McBride in a prepared statement.

"Litigation is not 'artist development'. Litigation is a deterrent to creativity and passion and it is hurting the business I love".

That's Awesome. That's astounding. That's good entertainment.

If the RIAA can't get any friends, even among the big-name record labels, then just who are its friends, and just whom is it protecting?

Litigation is a Deterrent to Creativity, kids. Remember that. And go buy some stuff from the good guys .. even if it's not sung by Ms Lavigne.

Update: another link http://www.canada.com/components/print.aspx?id=28f6a01c-084c-4fc4-9594-a5d3dd1ff02e&k=13592