John Bush Is Lame And Greedy

[hibernal_dream]

I guess you could look at this the other way: guess what? we are all rational people, even you mr. bush therefore we would rather download albums and save our money to spend to feed our families. Preaching to people things like "Thou Shall Not Download" is not going to solve anything, especially when P2P is still legal, and especially when CDs are more expensive than they used to be. That records sales are down is highly speculative, state your authority before you talk this bullshit.

I agree with the first guy. Since when was being in a band a full time job? Mikael from Opeth works in a record shop to support himself, why can't you do the same?

 

[gazmetal]

All's I've got to say is "Reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeuuuuuuuuummmmmm!"
That's how you spell the noise a retard makes.

 

[fanch75]

You're right, the music belongs to us! We should be able to get it for free anytime we want to! It's ours!

I was being sarcastic.

Our society has become so affluent and plush people have forgotten what real poverty is. Your post complains some people can only afford to go out on the weekends. I'm sorry, but nigga please! Over half of the world's population hasn't even used a computer before, and you're whining about being entitled to go out more. Most of the world has no electricity, and you're whining about being entitled to download free music.

You may not know this, but the new album has sold less than 30,000 copies. Sales like this don't keep record contracts. If that happens to Anthrax so be it but losing sales because of downloaders is fucking lame.

Feel LUCKY to live where you live, and stop fucking complaining because artists want to and SHOULD BE paid for what they do. Stealing is stealing, period.

 

[thunderhead]

When a band calls me a thief they can go fuck themselves. You can go fuck yourself too.

Fuck you and your 4 posts....go find another message board to bitch at. If you were REALLY an Anthrax fan, your first post wouldn't have been that lame-ass tirade. Go BACK to the Korn board and download ALL of their shit. We here don't care what you think. Bush is the man and downloading is for thieves. Get FUCKED ASSHOLE.

 

[ivankoloff]

great, another "blue collar" "working man" type, because we all know that if you don't do hard manual labor your just a rich asshole with too much money, rich people work hard for their money too. typical class warfare rhetoric from a most likely democrat voter. heaven forbid somebody goes to college and earns a degree for a higher paying job rather that drop out of school and do manual labor for the rest of their lives, not that there is anything wrong with that. " Gods and Clods" ring any bells south park fans???

 

[Johnny Ace]

great, another "blue collar" "working man" type, because we all know that if you don't do hard manual labor your just a rich asshole with too much money, rich people work hard for their money too. typical class warfare rhetoric from a most likely democrat voter. heaven forbid somebody goes to college and earns a degree for a higher paying job rather that drop out of school and do manual labor for the rest of their lives, not that there is anything wrong with that. " Gods and Clods" ring any bells south park fans???

Damn straight Ivan... I agree with you 100%

I've worked blue collar, white collar, and no collar, but that doesn't make me any better or any worse than anyone else. I don't know when it became en vogue to be ashamed of getting some cash in your pocket. Hell, it's not like I'm hording greenbacks. But I bust my ass every damn day 110%, no excuses... tired, hungry, allergies, hangover... no bs.... it's just "do my damn job and do it well." And if someone was gonna cut into my paycheck, I'd be mighty pissed.

I think the problem is, there are too many people posting in cyberspace when they should be posting their resume somewhere and getting a job.

 

[megarock]

I guess you could look at this the other way: guess what? we are all rational people, even you mr. bush therefore we would rather download albums and save our money to spend to feed our families. Preaching to people things like "Thou Shall Not Download" is not going to solve anything, especially when P2P is still legal, and especially when CDs are more expensive than they used to be. That records sales are down is highly speculative, state your authority before you talk this bullshit.

I agree with the first guy. Since when was being in a band a full time job? Mikael from Opeth works in a record shop to support himself, why can't you do the same?

I'll address your post for the simple fact that you at least have the common sense to post two whole paragraphs without one profanity. Thank god Anthrax still has a few TRUE metalhead fans.

First off, I posted what I posted here not for the benefit of those who replied - but for John himself. I'm sure they check the message board and I know if he wants he can get access to my e-mail address. I want a reply from John and no one else. I really don't give a crap about the other peoples opinions. Wasn't it one of the above posts that says everyone has a right to their opinion? Well, this is mine.

My post was about one thing and one thing only - that I am sick of artists crying that the internet is at fault when their records don't sell. Sorry, but as much as some people need someone or something to blame the fact is the internet is only a small portion of the reason sales are down. As I said before - the economy, loss of jobs, poor product, people sick of the RIAA - these are all reasons sales are down.

In reality if you look at the numbers from SoundScan - the folks who track record sales you will actually find that record sales have risen steadily in the past three years since the Napster fight. The problem is there have been roughly 20 % less actual CD releases in the same period of time thus the reason for the decline in the actual total sales numbers. The RIAA just shows that the overall numbers have dropped and the overall profits have dropped off...but fail to mention that if there is less product being made the natural effect is for the number of purchases to also drop off. Unfortunately, too many people only pay attention to the RIAA rhetoric and therefore are blind to reality. Check the numbers yourself.

It's as simple as this - the new CD from Godsmack was leaked on the internet almost four months before it was released retail. The album sold just fine when it was released and hit the number one slot even though after months of people being able to download their true fans stood up and spent their money for it.

here don't care what you think. Bush is the man and downloading is for thieves. Get FUCKED ASSHOLE.

John Bush aint the man fool, Joey Belladona was. Explain to me how with Joey they sold over SIXTY FUCKING MILLION ALBUMS and with John they haven't but managed to maybe hit one million. John is a wussy boy so face the facts. Your modern day Anthrax can't hold a candle next to the REAL FUCKING ANTHRAX.

rich people work hard for their money too. typical class warfare rhetoric from a most likely democrat voter.

Must be a Tiger Woods fan. Yes, rich people work real hard for their money.

All's I've got to say is "Reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeuuuuuuuuummmmmm!"
That's how you spell the noise a retard makes.

You sure seem to have alot of background on retarted noises. Must hear that sound alot.

but if you actually think that a band like Anthrax rakes in millions a year, you are retarded. I bet they don't make as much as high paid factory workers...so unless you know what you're talking about and know the music business in and out, then shut your mouth. Touring clubs and selling not many records doesn't make you money. They are doing this because they love it, and of course they want people to buy their cds, they have families to feed. Yeah, you have valid points about the whole economy being down and cds being expensive...but John wasn't asked about that, he was asked about how he sees the music industry.

Holy crap, a second rational post.

Yes, I don't think that if all they are selling is 30,000 albums they are making the millions right now. But again, with just six of their albums having sold in excess of 60 million copies they have made the millions already. Sounds to me like they need a real record company that will actually take the time to promote them - they sure as hell ain't getting much exposure right now. I can also agree that at those numbers there are definately a few people out there even at factories who are making more then they are. But, it would seem to me that if they are worried about feeding their families and have been pushed into poverty they would get real jobs like the people who buy their CD's. As one poster said - there are other musicians who have had to resort to actually exerting themselves to make their cash for awhile.

The sad facts are that maybe 30,000 albums in sales just shows their product isn't very good and maybe Anthrax don't have near the fan base they did when they kicked all ass. Maybe their management and record label have no interest in promoting them. Maybe they need to stop calling fans thieves and try to make friend with them as Metallica did (they have put close to 30 of their top songs on the internet for free legal download if you buy their new CD).

Feel LUCKY to live where you live, and stop fucking complaining because artists want to and SHOULD BE paid for what they do. Stealing is stealing, period.

Should they be paid for doing it? Sure. Should they get or even expect that they will ever make millions at it? No more than the idiot at McDonalds should. If it happens take it and run. If it ends one day be thankful for what you had. Sorry, I just don't like musicians who just expect that because they recorded something it will always sell and they will always make alot of money doing it. Shit don't work like that in the real world and it don't in the music world either.

Just think - there are people who play baseball who pitch 12 - 15 games a year and expect to be paid 60 million dollars for it. Getting paid is one thing - everyone deserves that. Who really deserves 60 million for working 15 days out of the year? Musicians have the same problem - they just expect to be rich and famous just because they are musicians.

 

[BIGPHAT442]

When a band calls me a thief they can go fuck themselves. You can go fuck yourself too.

Downloading is fucked up, to me it's stealing. They (any band) don't do this for you, they do this to make a living. How would you like to go to work and then someone else be paid for your time? It's just beyond me how people download stuff and think that they're right.
John could have joined Metallica and made millions, but he didn't and he doesn't regret it at all. That to me says so much about him. I haven't seen a more passionate singer since Jeff Buckley. John is one of the most laid back people in the metal world, so get off his case.

 

[cam]

I'm not going to deny it, as I have MP3s on my computer, though to be fair most of them are back ups of CDs I already own as I'm great for ruining CDs. Can't look after them. Anyway, yeah I do download songs, & if I like what I hear I'll go out & buy the album because that's the kind of guy I am. I don't have particularly much money, & so I don't want to buy a piece of crap.

But yeah, downloading album after album is stealing, no denying that fact. And artists are allowed their opinion as much as the next man.

But what I don't like is your stupid personal attacks on Bush, despite the fact he's at least 10 times a better singer than Joey. You just seem like a very bitter little boy.

 

[AjDeath]

Well, I have been an Anthrax fan for years but I think I have to stop buying their records and forget they exist until John Bush (a.k.a Lars Ulrich) leaves the band. He has disappointed me to no end and I can't stand greedy musicians.

Here is an excerpt of an interview with the esteemed Mr. Bush:
(find the whole thing here: http://www.roadrun.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=14708)

"When told that it still seems like a lot of artists are totally for being able to share music over the Internet, Bush said, "Well, are those artists selling a lot more records? That's the only question! Are they selling more records than they were, are they? Because nobody is. Nobody is selling the kind of records that they were and anybody who puts out one record and says it, fuck them because they don't know. They have nothing to compare it to. So, somebody that's got a couple of records out can say something. Somebody that put their first record out and says, 'I'm for it!', fuck them — that's what I say, because you need to figure out again...record sales are down. That's all I need to say and if they're down, how is it helping? "

Dear Mr. Bush - I have sone news for you - it's not just your precious record sales that are down.

Right here in the middle of the USA I know of over 150,000 people who have lost their jobs in the past three years. Blame it on economy, terrorism or whatever the hell - but jobs are drying up. Do you think those 150,000 people now have the money to rush out and buy some more of your precious albums? NO!

Think it's just the poor musicians who are hurting, now that they only rake a few million a year instead of more? Ask the Steelworkers. Ask the AFL-CIO. Ask the people working for K-Mart who filed Bankruptcy, Venture (division of May Department Stores) which closed up, filed Bbankruptcy and closed up. Ask the 8,000 people who worked for our local National supermarkets.

Get real John. There are across our country hundreds of thousands of people who became unemployed over the past three years. These people, I can rest assured, are much more worried about being able to buy food and keep a roof over their heads than to rush out and buy your precious albums so you can keep sales up.

"Bottom line is, stealing is stealing! That's the reality of it and if people are not buying records, then bands are not gonna sell as many records, hence there's gonna be a lot of bands not making records. Because this is people's livelihood."

Let me ask you something about the bottom line John. Do you have to worry about paying your bills every week? Do you get paid under $10.00 an hour for your work? Do you have to stay home five nights of the week because you have no money to do anything with?

NO.

Guess what - alot of people do. We get paid little to nothing for our daily labors. We work our rears off just to keep a little food in the house, the bills paid and hopefully have enough to go out once in awhile. Considering it takes about 120 straight hours to perform the works for a normal length album at the money I make you would have made roughly $800.00 for making your most recent album. How would you feel if that was all you got paid for your 'hard work' (sic).?

I have until this time had the utmost respect for Anthrax. I am also a fan from times you don't even know - back in the State of Euphoria days and before - from the beginnings. I have bought what albums I could afford in those times and still have.

And, to be completely honest with you - had it not been for P2P file trading I would have not even known your band had a new album out. The record stores have nothing - the CD isn't even on the shelf. The department stores - nada. I may have seen one single copy at the huge warehouse CD retailer. IF IT WERE NOT FOR P2P I WOULDN'T EVEN KNOW THE NEW CD EXISTED AT ALL.

Whine all you want - I just lose respect for people like that. I lose respect for bands who are more worried that their record sales are up than realizing the REAL reasons why when they are not. Quit blaming the internet for your troubles. Quit blaming your fans for your troubles too - it pi**es them off. Then, they are no longer your fans.

Don't worry, I won't be back to post again. Just thought I would let you know something:

YOUR LAME COMMENTS JUST LOST A FAN. AND THAT MY FRIEND WILL MAKE ALBUM SALES GO DOWN BECAUSE I WILL NOT BE BUYING YOURS.

Everything you posted I am in total agreement with, America sucks, so little culture and so little time and a disease is indeed spreading, it is called ignorance.

BUT! I do not listen to music because i believe in the things individual musicians stasnd for or their personal opinions about things- I listen to music because i enjoy it, and I will continue to listen to and buy AnthraX records, one reason is because they just put out their best record to date, imagine that- after all these years of loving AnthraX, they put out their best effort- THAT is what I care about.

 

[mentalmeltdown]

I can't help but think of those poor bastards who have to feed their starving families by working hard each and every day just to put some crust on their table... Why can't they go home too and sit in front of their Pentium 4, 1,5 GHZ with a DSL and their 300$ CD burner and download and burn them some music first, instead of giving their hard-earned cash to the fat cats of the music industry?? Huh? Why, I ask thee?... As Charlie Benante himself put it: I can't understand that kids can afford for a CD-burner but can't afford to buy a CD.. All or most of the motherfuckers that download, and they are legion, including myself, have the means to pay for the CD's but they're just greedy and don't want to spend their money on it because they have an easier and a cheaper means to get their music available - and all thanks to the consumer society and the capitalism we all love and hate: we've learned to consume fast, and also we've learned to try and pay less for more. Nowadays, many people don't feel anything for the artwork on a cd, or how many hours the band has put into thinking the packaging, the concepts and everything that goes into making a record. So instead, the kid goes and buys himself a pack of 50 CD-R's, goes on the internet for a couple of hours and has himself a couple of faceless CD's with decent quality music that he can listen to and that he won't even notice the difference with the originals. True music fans and supporters of a band on the other hand, will still go out there and buy the real deal no matter the cost. Now, I'm not saying we're not getting the royal screw job what with paying anywhere from 15 to 25$ for a shitty piece of plastic with minuscule artwork, lyrics and photos (can you notice that I'm an LP fan?), but in many cases the CD's or more recently the DVD's are the only means available for a band to get through to their audience, without compromising their musical integrity. I'm against downloading complete albums and burning them, and then using the same old argument: "Yeah, but I am/was going to buy it later when I have/had the cash..." Yeah, I know a guy who has 50 original CD's and 450 burned ones, and he always uses that argument... Lemme tell ya that his original CD's pile is still around 50 while the other one is ever growing...

Just my simple point of view, thanks for reading, you've been a great crowd.

Peace!

 

[Sentdown]

Downloading is pretty much the same idea as making a copy off a cd.

Take 10 years ago or whenever, your friend just bought Sound of White Noise, you had a blank cassette, you made a copy. Thats stealing , isnt it. its just that the internet made this so much easier to do. if you made a copy from a cd to tape,that means someone bought that cd.

Now with the internet, 1 person could have bought the cd and 600,000 people could have copied/downloaded it. Its just people being lazy, why go to the store if its at your fingertips.

Im with John, it is beacuse of downloading that the music industry is suffering..... and no great promotion.

I also hate the excuse, I dont have any money to buy cds. .....But you have internet access that you have no trouble paying right?!? :hotjump:

Support Anthrax and anyother band, buy CD's , own the real thing.

 

[Cincy Vigilante]

My 2 cents

That ballplayer gets paid 60 million becaust he can put 45 thousand fans in an stadium and millions more will watch him on TV.

This guy must be a left wing bed wetter. He feels hes entitled to something because hes not as well off as someone else who worked hard to get what they got. Class envy. John Bush is a "rich rockstar" that says I shouldn't steal his music. Fuck him hes a cry baby.
I work in a grocery store. I dont make a lot of money but I have over 1300 cds. No burned ones and I don't even know how to download an album. As a music lover music is as important to me as food, clothes and the roof over my head. So I make ways to afford it.

 

[Sgt-D]

I'm not gonna throw some conservative-christian-bullshit morals on you, I'm just going to state the facts. According to the US Copyright laws, downloading MP3s is pirating. Just like burning and stealing movies, video games, computer programs, etc. These things, for some reason or another, keep the prices up, because the corporations think that the people who actually pay should have to take it up the ass for them to make up for those who steal it online. This, of course, pisses off the masses who paid for it, and in some cases, makes them want to download/steal it, too. And, as you guessed, this drives the prices up so the corporations can keep their bottom line where they want it. It's a vicious downward spiral, and nobody's going to win. If we all stop downloading and start hacking out the dough for all the games/music/programs, do you think that the greedy Republican corporate assballs will lower the prices to compensate for the decrease in pirating? I think not! In 1991, after the Gulf War jacked up the gasoline prices, the financial papers assured us that when the war was over, we'd go back to the pre-war gas prices. This never happened.

What's my point? This: There's no easy answer to the downloading issue. The consumers want cheap music, and the musicians want to be paid for their service. There's a happy medium in there somewhere, but for some reason, nobody wants to compromise. If/when the cheap mp3 thing takes off (you know, the $0.99 per mp3 deal), perhaps that will ease the burden. But then the record companies NEED to show us a sign of trust, and lower the prices of the records accordingly, so more folks will start to buy.

Another issue that most people have brought up is the fact that many CDs out now suck ass. Yeah, that does make me not want to buy, and download first. In that particular case, blame the labels. If all these goddamn bands at the major labels didn't sound the same, maybe we'd be more willing to check out other bands. And, of course, that's assuming that you can call these bands "bands." Most of them are pretty-boy jackoffs with a DJ that don't write their own songs, and just stand on stage and dance like a marionette for a couple of hours. And while I'll admit that dancing and singing that long is an endurance trial fit for Jack Lalanne, this doesn't make you worthy of a record contract.

Where was I going with this? Shit, I forgot. But I think I may have made some relevant points in there somewhere...

 

[Sgt-D]

Oh yeah, my final point is that I do download, but if I like something, I buy it. And if you tell me that you can't pull apart $12-14 for a CD, I'll tell you that you're full of shit. If you're that poor that you can't afford a CD, then why the Hell are you on the internet? Logoff, and look for a fucking job, and pay for your music when you can afford it.

PS: Not all Democrats and left-wingers are blue-collar jealous fucks. Some of us just believe in rights for citizens, without fucking us over to whore to the corporations by giving them huge tax-breaks to move jobs to China and fuck up our water supply. I admire the rich for the job they've done, and would like to be rich by working my ass off. I just believe that when I get there, that I'd like to make sure that others can get pulled up from the shit-hole slums too. Our nation is only as strong as its weakest link. I say help the bottom class, and we all prosper (including the rich!).

 

[Johnny Ace]

Hey megarock... I hope you don't have to pay for internet access by the word, cause you're credit card bill will require you not only to download free music, but a life as well.

How are we supposed to take you seriously when you say we should listen to your opinion, but that you don't want to hear any of ours. Brings to mind that line in Hy Pro Glo... "I'm no hypocrite."

Bush wouldn't even bother replying... he's not an internet person like Charlie and Scott.

And before you go spouting off economic data, you might want to try to get it somewhere near the ballpark known as accurate. Unemployment claims went upwards of 440K back in April. I don't know where that 150K came from, and even so, I didn't realize that everybody was buying metal.

Granted that above paragraph is poking fun, but I couldn't resist.

If you don't mind me asking, what do you do that you have to work 120hrs in order to afford a cd. You don't seem to be having a problem with owning a computer or maintaining internet access?

I admire anybody who works there ass off for anything in life. However, I hate hearing people bellyache about their lot in life. People dying in third world countries... they have a right to bitch. People in this country living on the streets... they have a right to bitch. People with computers and cd burners? Hell, if you don't like your place in in life... DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!!!!!

 

[schindlers_fist]

In a way I sort of agree and sort of don't. Anthrax record sales are down, but this probably isn't because of downloading. Lack of promotion probably played a much larger role in this. The quote said it was okay to download the songs if you were going to buy the album. I do that. Since i got Napster a few years back my CD collection has increased about 10x.

I think CD prices are too high, but it also depents where you look. I;ve picked up new CDs fo $10 cnd, even less. Lots of stores in malls are way overpriced, i know people who go to those stores and say, "Well, CDs are just to expensive, I'm off for good." Some people's ability to shop around has really dropped.

 

[Sentdown]

Lots of stores in malls are way overpriced, i know people who go to those stores and say, "Well, CDs are just to expensive, I'm off for good." Some people's ability to shop around has really dropped.

I agree. Like I said People are lazy. Why shop around when its at your fingertips. The mall is the last place ive evr bought a cd, and that where probably the majority of music buyers shop. Not smart ones.

 

[thunderhead]

John Bush aint the man fool, Joey Belladona was. Explain to me how with Joey they sold over SIXTY FUCKING MILLION ALBUMS and with John they haven't but managed to maybe hit one million. John is a wussy boy so face the facts. Your modern day Anthrax can't hold a candle next to the REAL FUCKING ANTHRAX.

Sixty million with Joey??? Did I miss something in the early 90's??

 

[jdelpi]

I agree with the first guy. Since when was being in a band a full time job? Mikael from Opeth works in a record shop to support himself, why can't you do the same?

When was being in a band a full-time job?

Hmm...

Maybe since:

1. It takes countless hours to write, record and produce an album.
2. Being on the road for so many months out of the year basically eliminates the possibility of a steady job.

That's pretty goddamn lame if all you ever hope for a band is that they work in a record store because they can't make a living in music. If musicians bring joy to so many people through their music (or whatever work they do) and those people pay for it like they should, then those creators should be able to profit from it. Not everyone is here to be your damn servant.