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Napster’s Rockin’ Allies
In the disgustingly hilarious animation, Sixx speaks out against Metallica and claims its anti-Napster campaign is intended to promote its summer tour, while Neil reads a prepared statement as if he’s a third grader with dyslexia, using his finger to guide him, line by line, through the script.
The cartoon ends with the band promoting its own summer tour, telling fans that it supports the trading of Motley Crue MP3s over the Net and that its latest single, “Hell On High Heels,” is available on the Net in the MP3 format.
Camp Chaos is home to the earlier “Napster Bad” animation starring Metallica’s Lars Ulrich and James Hetfield.
Motley Crue isn’t the only band endorsing Napster through twisted humor. The Offspring have found an ingenious way to exploit the service’s ideals and promote it at the same time.
Some people would call it karma. Others would call it just desserts.
Either way, The Offspring are selling bootlegged Napster merchandise on their Web site, without the software maker’s blessing or, apparently, its knowledge.
The entrepreneurial effort could well make The Offspring the first band to actually make money off of Napster.
The sales pitch, which first appeared on the band’s Web site on May 31, is prominently placed on the home page, offering T-shirts and baseball caps emblazoned with the Napster logo for $10 and stickers for $1.
A Napster spokesman said the company does not sell merchandise of its own and had no comment on The Offspring’s actions.
Napster is facing litigation from the Recording Industry Association of America and at least two artists — Metallica and Dr. Dre — who charge that the file-swapping network created by Napster violates copyright laws.
The Offspring were one of the first bands to publicly embrace Napster.
A link on the band’s Web site, though not nearly as prominently placed as the Napster merchandise for sale, explains, “The Offspring view MP3 technology and programs such as Napster as being a vital and necessary means to promote music and foster better relationships with our fans.”
In another announcement on the Web site, the band reminds fans to stay tuned: “Next week we will be posting an exclusive MP3 song as a sign of how much we love our music getting into the hands of our fans.”
Not to mention getting Napster shirts on their backs.