Frenzal Rhomb guitarist Lindsay McDougall, also a radio presenter at Triple J, told the Herald he was furious at being "lumped in with this witch hunt" and that he had been "completely taken out of context and defamed" by the Australian music industry, which funded the video. He said he was told the 10-minute film, which is being distributed for free to all high schools in Australia, was about trying to survive as an Australian musician and no one mentioned the video would be used as part of an anti-piracy campaign...
McDougall said: "I have never come out against internet piracy and illegal downloading and I wouldn't do that - I would never put my name to something that is against downloading and is against piracy and stuff, it's something that I believe is a personal thing from artist to artist. I would never be part of this big record industry funded campaign to crush illegal downloads, I'm not like [Metallica drummer] Lars Ulrich. I think it's bullshit, I think it's record companies crying poor and I don't agree with it."
"I don't think I'm going to sue anyone but I would say that already this morning people's opinion of me has been lowered," McDougall said. "I'm from a punk rock band, it's all about getting your music out any way you can - you don't make money from the record, the record companies make the money from the record. If they can't make money these days because they haven't come onside with the way the world is going, it's their own problem."
I'd love to have seen the execs when they heard that piece of news. Ungrateful little shit! We made him! We can break him!
What a spectacular own goal for them.
In summary: Dear record companies, please excuse me while we dance about on your grave singing Hallelujah. Yours sincerely, everyone who enjoys music.
PS: If you do want to post about something, don't sms it to a like-minded site first. Particularly if they're going to do it better and then credibly claim that they never got your sms because the phone was locked in a cupboard.
