Starsailor Message Board

Annelies · SSMB Newbie Joined: 25 Sep 2003 Posts: 3

Hi all,
just to post my frustration. After buying "Silence is Easy" yesterday, it appears that due to the 'copy control' I can't listen to the CD on my car CD player nor on my PC CD drive.
My lifestyle doesn't allow me to sit back at home next to the only CD player I have and that will play this CD. I spend far more time in the office or in my car.

I understand you want to protect your creative work from evil copyers, but this is the only way you will drive me to Kazaa again. I want to be able to listen to my favourite music when I choose so.
You don't want to loose money to the black-music-market on the Internet, I don't want to pay 20EUR for a CD I'm not able to play.
I'm so disappointed,
Annelies

'Boo · Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2003 7:40 am Post subject:

As there have been a few comments about this and I've also received messages about it too, I'm going to see if I can find out anything more about it today for you. I don't understand the technology used myself and I don't know what, if any, solutions there may be to the problems you've experienced. I'll see what I can find out for you.
_________________
Keeper of Good Souls Interactive at Starsailor.net
See the Starsailor FAQ

'Boo · Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2003 10:46 am Post subject:

I've spoken at length to EMI about this subject this morning and I have at least an explanation for you, although I'm not sure how helpful it will be, but I can at least offer some alternative solutions to your problems.

EMI in the UK have not copy controlled their copies of the CD of Silence Is Easy, as sold on the high street in the UK. This is because although they would like to protect their product from illegal distribution, they also acknowledge that music fans like to listen to their purchased music in a variety of formats and until copy protection formats are sufficiently reliable to allow modest copying, but not wide distribution, they've taken the decision not to copy control the products for sale in the UK, where other record labels are now doing so on all product.

If you have a copy that is marked as copy control and you are experiencing problems in playback, that would suggest that it is a European copy of the CD, where copy control is applied. Some sellers who are distributing to the UK and elsewhere, such as CDwow are outside of the normal UK CD distribution network and are therefore obtaining their stock from outside the UK, so their copies will be European stock and therefore copy controlled.

EMI are very concerned with the difficulties you've experienced, which are complicated when people can buy worldwide from a variety of global sources, and are going to look at the situation more closely and will get back to me on the matter.

In the short term, the only suggestions I can make is that you either return the copy you have and buy another one from a source that isn't copy controlled - all UK high street copies are NOT copy controlled, so any supplier that works within the usual UK distribution system will have non-copy controlled stock. I'll try and do some research after I've posted this to see where might be a suitable resource - I know of one already, but I want to make some calls.

Alternatively, you can buy a legal download copy to burn yourself from http://www.musicfromemi.com and prices, for the UK at least, are from 7.99 GB pounds sterling - obviously this doesn't give you the sleeve booklet etc., just the music. Look through the various alternative sites presented as they each offer slightly different prices, terms and payment options.

As I work for Starsailor and EMI in the UK, I can only really speak for the UK situation, if you're outside the UK, you'd perhaps need to address the issue locally if I haven't answered your concerns - each region's record label works somewhat independently.

I'll try and find out more about reliable UK copies available globally by mail order and if I hear any more on the issue, I'll post it here.
_________________
Keeper of Good Souls Interactive at Starsailor.net
See the Starsailor FAQ

'Boo · Posted: Fri Sep 26, 2003 7:24 am Post subject:

Sorry, I meant to put this additional comment here later yesterday - I added it to the other topic, but not this one:

I've looked at the http://www.amazon.co.uk web site and the catalogue number is certainly the same as the UK CDs, so I suspect they'd be a UK copy - I'll try and establish that for certain.

An independent mail order company that I've worked with over a long time are http://www.townsend-records.co.uk/ and they are certainly an EMI reseller and I've found them very reliable for overseas supply when working with another band's CDs and I've just checked with them and their stock CDs aren't copy controlled. Their overseas supply would be 10.20 GB pounds plus P&P;, which is +2.80 to the US, +3.75 to Oz and Japan etc. and 11.99 + 2.00 in the EU as you need to pay VAT. Their sales also count towards the UK charts.
_________________
Keeper of Good Souls Interactive at Starsailor.net
See the Starsailor FAQ

Annelies · SSMB Newbie Joined: 25 Sep 2003 Posts: 3

Hi Boo,
thanks a lot for these explanations. Nice to see Starsailor takes their fan's interest to heart. I indeed bought the CD in Belgium, so maybe we're talking about a European version.
Anyway, they'll probably in the country for a concert soon, so a good opportunity to check out Stairsailor live.
Annelies

tob · Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2003 6:32 pm Post subject:

I bought the uk import, it's written "copy controlled" and it plays on the computer Smile

_________________
My wandering soul found solace at last,
I wanted to know how long it would last.
She's losing control, she's coming down fast,
the heart that I stole, I'm not giving back, never giving back.