DMB takes down Hook material from website
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If the Dave Matthews Band was hoping to demonstrate how in touch they are to their hometown by launching a “Charlottesville” page on their website, they just proved the strength of that connection. Days after we first reported that the band had lifted much of the text for the webpage from the Hook’s own Vijith Assar, the famous quintet responded by expunging the words.
Now Assar’s original snappy descriptions of local bands– which first ran in the 2005 Annual Manual– have either been deleted or replaced by slightly lengthier summations. For example, American Dumpster went from being “Junk rock (That’s not derogatory)” to “as the name suggests, is a recycling movement for ideas. Their original songs combine elements of ancient and modern folk songs with the greatest aspects of country, blues, and rock.”
While DMB’s Red Light Management had not returned calls for comment at the time of this post, Assar says, “I would imagine that they’re preparing to reciprocate, and I look forward to supplying some of DMB’s copyrighted material to our readers on the Hook’s website.”
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Sounds like a typical Crapshavian thing to do. Steal.
Just another fine example of the highfalutin attitudes of the coat tailers that have surrounded themselves with this band. And in many ways this includes Dave himself because without the local talents, especially of Boyd and Leroi, he would still be serving drinks and handing out the tip jar.
The local hostility toward DMB simply amazes me. It’s almost as if any level of outside-Charlottesville success is considered selling out or screwing the locals. Yeah, right - the guy who writes the songs and sings them is coat-tailing on the rest of the band. Makes sense. Are they coat-tailing on him? If not for Dave, would the Boyd Tinsley Band still be playing at Katies? Come on - get real. The strength of this and nearly all bands (at least the good ones) is the notion that the whole is significantly greater than the sum of the parts. That’s why most “solo projects” don’t approach the success of the collective ones. The Stones sell out huge stadiums around the world, but none of them could dream of doing so as solo acts. A solo Dave couldn’t sell our a stadium, but neither could a solo Boyd or Leroi or Carter or Stefan. Yet together they sell it out in minutes.
Such jealousy is ridiculous. The Dave Matthews Band has done a hell of a lot for this community - you can pretend not if you wish, but they’ve been nothing but good citizens (individually and corporately). When I travel I’m extremely proud to count the band among my “neighbors.”
And yes their manager is buying the town. Where’s the downside to that? Which properties he’s purchased are now less attractive, useful, or beneficial than they were before? None that I can think of.
As for the copyright issue, in something of that sort nearly always it’s a relatively lower-level worker who was just lazy, thought the material was way cool, and didn’t think a transgression was being committed. When the management learned about it, they pulled it. Case closed. Turn the page. It probably won’t happen again. Sometimes people just need to say they’re sorry for the mistake - and others need to accept said apology - and move on. The problem with the Hook’s posting above is it infers that by having the content removed, the quintet was responsible for putting it there in the first place (which is highly unlikely).
Well said, Music Lover!!
The bottom line of this entire argument is PROMOTING CHARLOTTESVILLE MUSIC… I’m not sure how this can be a bad thing. Take your sacred and copyrighted words and shove them up your Assar.
Give me a break!
The only good thing about this rediculous argument is that now the bands named on the page are getting even more publicity :)
God forbid DMB’s WEBSMASTER show a little love to the Charlottesville music scene. Has the Hook separated themselves, so much, from the band that launched Charlottesville music, that it can on see itself thriving on such a simple, yet well-meaning mistake? Stop fingering your buttholes for a moment, and realize that DMB’s behind the scenes people were only trying to spread the music around.
I agree that DMB launched the Charlottesville music scene, but Charlottesville also help support the DMB launch by packing the local venues and spreading the word of this great band. I agree with Music Lovers comments.
I am, however, displeased that DMB can not find the time to schedule Charlottesville now that we have the JPJ that can support events. I support the band through travelling to concerts in DC, Va Beach, fan club, but I feel they should establish a regular appearence here in Charlottesville now that we are able to host concerts at the JPJ. They skipped us this year after sold out shows last season. That is what makes many feel they are forgetting their old fans here in Charlottesville who supported them on the local music scene.
With that said….They are great citizens and stewards to our community.