Flea muses on leaked RHCP album

May 4, 2006 10:27 PM

MusicFilter: You supposedly can't buy it yet. Well, you actually can get it other ways. Flea isn't that pleased about it either.
posted by sjvilla79 (86 comments total)

if you down load it now off one of these file sharing sites
you will be getting a pale imitation of the record
it will be of the poor sound quality of the technique they used to
get it on there
and that will break my heart
it will break john frusciante's heart
it will break anthony kiedis's heart
and it will break the heart of chad smith

That's just really touching, isn't it? What a wanker.
posted by doctor_negative at 10:32 PM on May 4, 2006

Why does he write like a twelve year old who has been victim of a closed head injury?
posted by arse_hat at 10:36 PM on May 4, 2006

no shit, I don't think I've ever liked Flea less, he just comes off as such a complete pantywaist here. Embarassing.
posted by jonson at 10:36 PM on May 4, 2006

Of course, he could be a genius playing his fans like a tin flute. Leak the album then tell the world it's out there in order to generate interest that would not otherwise be there. I mean why else draw attention to it? No one, as far as I can find, was talking about it before he posted this letter to his public.
posted by arse_hat at 10:43 PM on May 4, 2006

if he's so concerned about the sound quality, why is it available for pre-order from iTunes' (in crappy AAC format, no doubt)?
posted by dvdgee at 10:45 PM on May 4, 2006

Say, that reminds me ...
posted by dhartung at 10:47 PM on May 4, 2006

I can't stand anything the RHCP have done since Mother's Milk, but that aside...

Flea is one of those musicians that I'd expect to be happy that his labor of love, as he seems to believe it is, would get out to masses of people who might not buy it otherwise. If his only true concern is that the sound quality isn't up to snuff, then let him counteract that by posting up straight, non-compressed CD rips on his own blog. That'd cure that problem nice and quick.

I totally understand that he, and the rest of the band, want to make money off their work. There's a reason that I buy every CD I like now, I want to support the creation of more of their music. I can't say that I did the same during college when I had no money, but now that I do have disposable income, I buy every album I like. What I'm really disappointed by is that he's hiding that behind this tirade that these people suffer with a lower quality version of their work.

Flea, either come out and say "We worked hard, and we want to be compensated" or put up straight CD rips on your site. Otherwise, you're just being a twit.
posted by Swervo at 10:48 PM on May 4, 2006

if you download this album i will cut myself.
posted by StrasbourgSecaucus at 10:49 PM on May 4, 2006

The free publicity is breaking furtive's heart.
posted by furtive at 10:51 PM on May 4, 2006

"Please don't throw me in that briar patch."
posted by merlinmann at 11:02 PM on May 4, 2006

Confidential to Flea:

Yeah. Your music's going to leak. No matter what. Seriously. Even if you manage to keep it from leaking in advance, it will go up the moment your record comes out. Even if you only ever sold it via iTMS, and

I suggest you try to make the free advertising work for you, make it draw more people to your records and your concerts instead of asking people not to break your little ol' heart.

I'm not saying you're in the wrong here, but writing short, sad sentences about your heart won't help at all. As you can see, it's made rather a lot of people make fun of you (see this thread, or the one on stereogum)

While the Internet might steal some of your lemons, you can still make plenty of lemondate out of the way things work right now. Particularly when you don't have to worry as much about building an audience from nothing, getting radio to pay attention to you, etc., etc. RHCP, regardless of whether or not I like them, is still a very popular band.

This leak won't hurt you (except, I suppose, in your little ol' heart).
posted by sparkletone at 11:02 PM on May 4, 2006

The sentence left dangling should've been: "... , and there's nothing you can do about it."

I love hitting post when I mean to hit preview.
posted by sparkletone at 11:04 PM on May 4, 2006

Flea, either come out and say "We worked hard, and we want to be compensated"...

Or, how about, "We did a small fraction of the work that the vast majority of people do, and we want the millions that are coming to us"?

Fuck Flea.
posted by dsword at 11:04 PM on May 4, 2006

I rip good music to FLAC.

Needless to say, I am not feeling this is good.
posted by Matt Oneiros at 11:04 PM on May 4, 2006

Flea: but, equitable business reasons aside
the thing that really bums me out is...

They should change their name to Equitable Bums.
posted by Ohdemah at 11:05 PM on May 4, 2006

Flea's Livejournal
Current Mood: sad
posted by ori at 11:05 PM on May 4, 2006

Boo hoo. Don't worry Flea, the sound quality on the advance release is probably quite good. And if not, the lossless retail releases that'll be floating around soon enough will totally not break your heart.

But I understand where you're coming from. I'm sure you'll need every penny you can get when that major labor of yours is sucking out over 90 cents on every dollar your record sells so that it can pump it into bullshit overhead fees, overproduction costs, and marketing.

Fortunately the majority of geezers getting wet over your record probably think torrents are for weathermen.

Love you, kthxbye,

dr. p.
posted by drpynchon at 11:11 PM on May 4, 2006

They won't hurt us, Donny. These men are cowards.
posted by timing at 11:18 PM on May 4, 2006

"it will be of the poor sound quality of the technique they used to
get it on there"

Like the CD quality rips on the Russian sites rather than Steve Jobs's rips?
posted by arse_hat at 11:19 PM on May 4, 2006

Is there any way to say "Hey, please don't download our album without paying for it" that wouldn't piss off people who read the internet? It seems that everytime someone finds out their album has leaked, and then has the courtesy to just *ask* their fans not to download the leak, the downloaders start ragging on the person for 1) the way that they asked (too mean, too bitchy, too litigatey), 2) being rich, 3) not being savvy enough to share the anecdotal opinion that downloading is 100% positive in all cases for ever and ever infinity plus one.

Dude makes an album and then semi-illiterately asks people not to download it. How dare he. Let's hate him forever.
posted by 23skidoo at 11:20 PM on May 4, 2006

This is really rather strange, as my local newspaper offers the whole album for previewing (crap quality WMA format). Legally. No wonder it "leaked".
posted by ikalliom at 11:20 PM on May 4, 2006

timing wins.
posted by thanatogenous at 11:25 PM on May 4, 2006

after reading this thread
I queued it up in emule
there were hundreds of sources, and it started downloading
then I remembered
I do not like the music of the red hot chili peppers
nice try, the red hot chili peppers
posted by fleetmouse at 11:27 PM on May 4, 2006

It amuses me to see rock musicians who have been trading forever on postures of indulgence and rebellion grasp more righteously than a spinster librarian onto ideals of civility and propriety when they start to notice that those thieving kids may not be giving them the respect they're certain they deserve.
posted by TimTypeZed at 11:42 PM on May 4, 2006

We all know downloading music is a 'bad thing', so having Mr Flea tell us so kind of comes across a bit patronising.

The poor sound quality sounds fair enough, but i imagine it will only encourage people to listen to the tracks out of curiosity.

And anyway, these guys are in a really fortunate position to be able to make the music they love and to get it out there to the masses - they should stop the complaining and leave piracy issues to the record labels - that's what they're paid for...
posted by Meccabilly at 11:47 PM on May 4, 2006

Thousands! Did you read? Thousands have already listened to this album.

That's like most of the world, or something.
posted by sourwookie at 11:53 PM on May 4, 2006

this emoticon is for flea:
posted by keswick at 11:59 PM on May 4, 2006

Mmmmm, smells like lame viral marketing to me.

Pass.

And please add my name to the long list of people that think Flea is a twit.
posted by fenriq at 12:35 AM on May 5, 2006

I am so naming my band "It Will Break Flea's Heart"
posted by shoepal at 12:59 AM on May 5, 2006

okay, seriously. Since when is somebody considered an asshole for simply asking people not to steal from him?

Yes, the man can't put a sentence together to save his goddamn life. Yes, he's rich and probably won't be hurt by this album being stolen. But I'm not gonna rip on the guy just because he wants to make money off his hard work.
posted by Parannoyed at 1:07 AM on May 5, 2006

"28 songs to break the heart of chad smith"
posted by unmake at 1:13 AM on May 5, 2006

Giveitaway, giveitaway, giveitaway, now...
posted by weston at 1:36 AM on May 5, 2006

(Seriously, I kindof agree with Parannoyed. Yeah, Flea's plea may not be English literature, but hey, "Please buy our work" is a far sight better than "we're going to sue your pattootie off" and a perfectly fair sentiment, even if we'd rather he realized he "don't wanna be a miser.")
posted by weston at 1:44 AM on May 5, 2006

But I'm not gonna rip on the guy just because he wants to make money off his hard work.

That's right - there are so many other good reasons...
posted by darkstar at 3:07 AM on May 5, 2006

I agree with so many of the posts here

saw this in the NG simple REQ. Flea all your hard work and that letter can be boiled down to this

Subject: REQ: Red Hot Chili Peppers Stadium Arcadium
From: person < @yahoo.com>
Newsgroups: alt.binaries.sounds.mp3.rock.full-album

TIA!!!!
posted by RubberHen at 3:17 AM on May 5, 2006

Why is he going on and on about "poor sound quality"? Is he one of those vinyl snobs or something? Or is the album being uploaded as 128k mp3s? Or has Flea not heard an mp3 since 1999?
posted by eustacescrubb at 3:29 AM on May 5, 2006

Great to know there is now an easy, free and effective way to piss off the members of the Red Hot Chilli Peppers and make them cry over the internet. Pass me that torrent..
posted by fire&wings at 4:11 AM on May 5, 2006

"Why is he going on and on about "poor sound quality"? Is he one of those vinyl snobs or something? Or is the album being uploaded as 128k mp3s? Or has Flea not heard an mp3 since 1999?"

---

I just looked throught the Newsgroups - and there are mp3s of live versions of these new songs, demo versions. I must assume that is what he was complaining about, for it was posted a coupla hundred lines before the massive [proper retail] posting
posted by RubberHen at 4:23 AM on May 5, 2006

I fully expect Flea to do a collaboration with the other great lower case poet of our times.

i have become the fatty police
my new jeans r tight
elastic waists cause obesity

i just watched oprah
made me want to eat salmon
and swear off soda
which i have tried b4
i know i must
posted by Remy at 4:35 AM on May 5, 2006

I saw an interview with Flea on TV the other day - he seems like a really nasty piece of work...
posted by runkelfinker at 4:53 AM on May 5, 2006

Interesting responses.
posted by melt away at 4:57 AM on May 5, 2006

Flea goes on and on about how the band toiled on the album, losing sleep over it, making sure everything sounded right from top to bottom - and it'll all be wasted because the album got leaked early and he potentially lost sales (which is debateable).

Isn't the measure of a good album how critics and fans recieve it? I know album sales is a metric of success, but it's not the only thing (like Flea is suggesting).
posted by rinkjustice at 5:17 AM on May 5, 2006

But I'm not gonna rip on the guy just because he wants to make money off his hard work.
posted by Parannoyed at 4:07 AM EST on May 5 [!]

He will make money off it. Most likely buckets and buckets of money. Leaked albums didn't prevent millions of dollars of sales for other mainstream popular bands.
posted by juiceCake at 5:36 AM on May 5, 2006

RHCP were very anti-electronic-distribution for a long time. They were one of the last big groups to sign up for iTunes since it was "contributing to the death of the album format" or somesuch bullshit.
posted by blag at 5:43 AM on May 5, 2006

Flea says it's "poor sound quality version". That's funny, all I see on OiNK is a FLAC version and 320kb mp3 version.
posted by p3on at 5:48 AM on May 5, 2006

there was a little spammish flea
a record star he thought he'd be
posted by mr_crash_davis at 6:24 AM on May 5, 2006

Has any non-gigantic, non-rich band ever had this sort of public struggle with ripping? Or is the very notion of this sort of tragedy tied inextricably to that tiny fraction of working musicians who are super high-profile and totally in bed with the major label machine?

I have less sympathy for anyone who could have retired off the cash their first major label success pulled in than I have for, you know, anyone else in music.
posted by cortex at 6:28 AM on May 5, 2006

okay, seriously. Since when is somebody considered an asshole for simply asking people not to steal from him?

Blah blah. Downloading the album is not stealing from him. He should be happy that people are listening to it. Internet availability didn't hurt The Arctic Monkeys, did it?

As someone said in the stereogum thread, people who bitch about their albums leaking aren't making albums worth buying.
posted by ludwig_van at 6:35 AM on May 5, 2006

Hey, Flea's right. Anthony Kiedis needs the money to fix his teeth.

The Chili Peppers would have been ok if they had a decent singer. Kiedis has a terrible voice, no range, his lyrics are stupid, he looks scary, and his stage moves are nothing to write home about either. I won't even get into his acting "skills".
posted by Devils Slide at 6:38 AM on May 5, 2006

Come up with a decent distribution plan that doesn't involve RIAA record companies. Then maybe I won't download your crappy music. Or maybe I still will. If it breaks your heart don't make any more records.

It's crapifornication.
posted by i_am_a_Jedi at 6:39 AM on May 5, 2006

Downloading the album is not stealing from him.

This doesn't make any sense to me. Surely Flea has some stake (however fractional) in the purchase of each cd of his album. Someone who downloads the album gets the pleasure of listening to it without purchasing it.

I think if you look past the rationale about sound quality you see someone who has put his deepest effort into preparing this album, and is now distressed at seeing it leaked.

Saying their music isn't any good isn't a good rationale either -- if you think their music sucks don't download it.

Reading the mental gymnastics people engage in to justify downloading just baffles me. I think at core it is stealing, but people layer on all these bogus rationales (the band isn't that good, the system is corrupt) to cover up the fact that you are taking someone's creative output, without paying for it.

There's this bizarre attitude in the online community of "we have the ability to do this, and we're going to do it, no matter what you think." Just because you can do something, doesn't mean you should.

If you really love the music, you should pay for it, even if the artist isn't poor. If you don't care for/about the music, then find something you do care about and listen to that.

/rant
posted by bullitt 5 at 6:50 AM on May 5, 2006

I wonder how many cassette tapes Flea swapped back in the day?

"Can I tape this James Brown record you got here? I'll tape some stuff for you too man..."

I bet he didn't even know he was breaking the heart of the Godfather of Soul.
posted by crowman at 6:54 AM on May 5, 2006

All things being equal, "Storm In A Teacup" is a damn fine track.
posted by grabbingsand at 6:59 AM on May 5, 2006

Swervo, it is unlikely that Flea would be allowed to release any version of this album or others "on his own". Technically it's the record company's album; they get to decide how it's distributed. In the same vein, I doubt he had any choice in the song being released on itunes. More than that though, would you distribute your album to the ungreatful masses for free and losslessly compressed after you had worked on it for a year? I seriously doubt it. However, I know that if given the chance I would release recordings of my concerts in just such a manner.

Also, it seems that Flea is only disappointed in, not angry with, the fans that would download this without buying it, and is more upset with the person that leaked the album in the first place. Rightly so. Whoever leaked the album really was stealing, no bones about it. By the way the last couple RHCP albums really disappointed me; I hope this one doesn't. Ironic that RHCP has not been the same since they sobered up.
posted by BlueWolf at 7:00 AM on May 5, 2006

we worked very hard at uploading the advance copy
in flac version and 320kb mp3 version
we spent so much time adjusting the lame settings
to make it sound perfect and faithful to the original.
we spread it around on the internet all for free
we didn't even get paid by the marketing department
labels would kill for this kind of free promotion
not that the red hot chilli peppers need it you know
but it never hurts.
and now flea is not appreciating our effort
and that is breaking our heart.
we're very sensitive people.
please, flea, stop.

sincerely,

the uploaders

/channelling
posted by funambulist at 7:09 AM on May 5, 2006

the ungreatful masses

Would that be the same ungreateful (eh, was that a typo or deliberate?) masses that have been sending every single RHCP release to the top of the charts worldwide and buying tickets for their big stadium shows and making them so rich and popular a brand name that by now no matter what crap they release they can still count on making a few millions from each new album and tour? That's a new definition of ungratefulness.
posted by funambulist at 7:16 AM on May 5, 2006

I wonder if the comments on "sound quality" has anything to do with the gripes and even petitions they got about the woeful sound quality on some of their previous work.
posted by zog at 7:20 AM on May 5, 2006

: Hey, I came out with a new CD. I'd appreciate if you bought it and didn't download it for free off the internet.
:: Haha, NOPE!
posted by danb at 7:29 AM on May 5, 2006

Every album gets leaked. Whether it's on purpose or not. Life goes on. It's not like we won't all be able to hear every single track on the radio in a week anyway.
posted by blacklite at 7:52 AM on May 5, 2006

and i know that, as sensitive as john frusciante is about sound
the idea of anyone getting and hearing this thing that way
will devastate him
for people to not hear the work the way we meant it to be
will really hurt him deep inside
and all of us will hurt

Hey Pallie, everybody hurts.
Didn't you listen to Michael Stipe?
posted by cows of industry at 7:52 AM on May 5, 2006

Of course if you download it it's not going to be of poor quality. He's trying to write in a way that appeals to the mentality of his listeners. He's like that guy in "Dazed and Confused":

That's what I love about these high school girls, man. I get older, they stay the same age.
posted by interrobang at 8:10 AM on May 5, 2006

After threads like this, I hate Metafilter.
posted by erebora at 8:14 AM on May 5, 2006

I saw the RCHP live a few years back, and Duck Dunn was playing bass for 'em.
posted by stevil at 8:28 AM on May 5, 2006

meh, the new Tool cd that was released Tuesday was leaked a week or two before the release date. It'll most likely debut at #1 this week.

Maybe if your music hasn't sucked for the past 15 years, you'd sell more.
posted by jbelshaw at 9:09 AM on May 5, 2006

AAAHHHHH I LOVE YOU FLEA *girly scream* *sound of hair being pulled* *cry* ! You're such a Poet !

First born unicorn
Hard core soft porn
Dream of Californication
Dream of Californication

AAAAAAHHHHH Unicorn, Porn, he's so fucking a boingboing chaser of a man Pepsi Blue ! Yet he's so sensible and touchy feely ! I will go buy the goddamn album if he wants me to !

__________________

AAAAHHHH YOU SCUMBAG ! What a sissy ! Cry me a river you multimillionare gold dick waging, ass tastic , illiterate idiot that can barely spell therefore pushing my righteous indignation and my envy to a limit never ever felt before by any human being ! I went to college yet I earn a fraction of you , you just making another fucking justaposition of words like there isn't a zillion already, shake dat booty all the bitches go insane AAAHHH I hate you more then Fiddy !

YES ! I will download your fucking album and pirate it to the end of universe and let everybody listen to that PREEEECIOUS song of yours you asstard ! Hollywood agent ? Fuggetabout it I will take it personally and let everybody know about your silly band ! I will spend the rest of my life making a whole lot of noise about you !
posted by elpapacito at 9:29 AM on May 5, 2006

Download it? But what if the Jitz is monitoring?!
posted by hoverboards don't work on water at 9:54 AM on May 5, 2006

Reading the mental gymnastics people engage in to justify downloading just baffles me. I think at core it is stealing, but people layer on all these bogus rationales (the band isn't that good, the system is corrupt) to cover up the fact that you are taking someone's creative output, without paying for it.


Your rant is totally misguided. First of all, I didn't download the album. I don't think everyone in this thread is trying to say that they downloaded the album. What everyone seems to be saying that Flea sounds like a clueless wanker here. And that coincidentally, RHCP sucks. It's not like 1) They suck, so 2) I can morally download their album. Those are independent premises.

Also, it's not stealing. If I go into Flea's house and take his computer, that's stealing. Now he can't type whiny screeds on his blog anymore. If I download the album, I haven't taken it away from him or anyone who wants to buy it.

If I did download it, which I'm sure I'm not going to, and I enjoyed it, I would buy it.
posted by ludwig_van at 10:00 AM on May 5, 2006

Insert an "is" in there, please.
posted by ludwig_van at 10:03 AM on May 5, 2006

♪♫ Oh, bay-bay, just for you, I'd steal anaything that want me too. ♪♫
posted by dgaicun at 10:22 AM on May 5, 2006

I have no idea about the difference in sound quality between the CD copy and the leaked download, so I don't really know if Flea's complaint is valid or not.

Is it wrong to steal music? It seems like Flea really doesn't care what you think about that. I'm inclined to take what he says at face value: if I had worked on anything for a year and a half and was really proud of my work, I'd be miffed if people totally disrespected me and treated me like a chump.

That seems to be exactly what people are doing.
posted by rockabilly_pete at 11:04 AM on May 5, 2006

Lemme tell ya how this works, sonny.
Your band has sucked hard for a long time. The last time I bought anything from you I regretted it. Since I have some fond memories from my youth of your early recordings and shows I might be tempted to check out your new stuff if I can listen to it for free, but I admit that I would probably just skip through each song after 20 seconds and end up deleting it within a 1/2 hour after downloading it.
But now that I see that you're just a whiny-ass titty baby, I'm kind of embarrassed for you and I'd just as soon we put the whole thing behind us.
Good luck kid, and thanks for the memories. We'll always have "Freaky Styley".
posted by 2sheets at 11:19 AM on May 5, 2006

First, everyone's albums get leaked and it's been going on for years. Who do the RHCP think they are to be immune? What makes their album leak so special?

Secondly, while everyone's albums get leaked, oddly enough, or not, it's always some old big brand names that complain loudly about it. Metallica, U2, Madonna, RHCP... You rarely hear the smaller younger bands bitching and whining about mp3's. Why? Because a) they know it goes to their advantage as free publicity b) they don't have the pressure of being spokepeople for the industry.

These statements are not spontaneous complaints about oh the loss of artistic integrity and sound quality. Maybe the "band will be required to denounce illegal leaks" clause is not exactly in the contract, but I very much doubt backs aren't being patted when the denouncing is made.

Not a justification, just an observation.
posted by funambulist at 11:32 AM on May 5, 2006

♪♫ I enjoy stealing, it's just as simple as that. When I want something, I don't wanna pay for it. ♪♫
posted by dgaicun at 11:47 AM on May 5, 2006

After threads like this, I hate Metafilter.

surely some elaboration is in order?

or are you flea?
posted by Hat Maui at 12:17 PM on May 5, 2006

After threads like this, I hate Metafilter.


*hugs erebora just a few seconds too long*
posted by everichon at 2:12 PM on May 5, 2006

you're too busy chugging haterade to explain what your problem is?

i'm always fascinated by people who post "i hate this place."

fucking masochists.
posted by Hat Maui at 2:24 PM on May 5, 2006

Anyone who is interested in reading more of Flea's amazing writing can look here:

Flea's NBA.com Blog
posted by jahmoon at 7:42 PM on May 5, 2006

then I remembered
I do not like the music of the red hot chili peppers
nice try, the red hot chili peppers

It's like you can read my fucking mind.
posted by illovich at 8:19 PM on May 5, 2006

I think, after all this, he should change his name to Plea.
posted by Peter H at 9:23 PM on May 5, 2006

Flea kind of reminds me of Smedleyman, with all those bizarre and unsightly paragraph breaks.
posted by dgaicun at 9:48 PM on May 5, 2006

Flea's best work was as "Needles" in Back to the Future II (and III.)
posted by Fofer at 9:50 PM on May 5, 2006

Ve vant ze money for zis album, Lebowski.
posted by dgaicun at 11:17 PM on May 5, 2006

"Is there any way to say "Hey, please don't download our album without paying for it" that wouldn't piss off people who read the internet?"

Yeah, right like that. I'd respect that.

"Surely Flea has some stake (however fractional) in the purchase of each cd of his album."

Well, I wasn't gonna buy the album before I downloaded it, and I'm not gonna buy it now that I've downloaded it, so he hasn't lost anything. (Hypothetical I, as the real me subscribes to your "If you don't think it's good, don't download it" maxim, even if the real me doesn't necessarily pay for everything he does download.)

"and i know that, as sensitive as john frusciante is about sound
the idea of anyone getting and hearing this thing that way
will devastate him
for people to not hear the work the way we meant it to be
will really hurt him deep inside
and all of us will hurt "

It is truly beautiful to think of the RHCP slaving away so hard only to make more music that sucks at such a supersonic level.

"if I had worked on anything for a year and a half and was really proud of my work, I'd be miffed if people totally disrespected me and treated me like a chump.

That seems to be exactly what people are doing."

And now I'm doing it to YOOOOOOUUUUUU!
posted by klangklangston at 7:38 PM on May 6, 2006

Speaking of the Chili Peppers, I just watched the last half hour of the new Saturday Night Live and they were the music act. Incredibly, even though they have a new double album with, what?, about 30 new songs, they decided to play the very expired feeling Give It Away! What. the. Fuck. Chili Peppers?
posted by dgaicun at 10:16 PM on May 6, 2006

posted by ludwig_van at 9:02 AM on May 7, 2006

It's moving up the charts. What a surprise!
posted by juiceCake at 7:36 PM on May 12, 2006