impressed with a record company

[ramtops]

now, I never thought I'd type that as a heading ...

I bought a copy of High, the long awaited new album from the Blue Nile. Eight bloody years we've been waiting for a new album, and it was on pre-order with Amazon from the day they listed it.

so imagine my rage when it arrived, and was copy-protected. I did managed eventually to rip it on my Mac, but lots of people with Windows couldn't. And if I buy a CD, I expect to be able to rip it and play it on my iPod, or in my car, or wherever I damn well please.

so I e-mailed to the record company on Sunday, and complained. Politely. And they replied first thing yesterday morning, saying that it was a cockup by the manufacturers, and they would replace the CD, and please send my address.

so I did, and this morning arrived a new copy, and a complimentary copy of the single. They didn't even ask for the original, or proof or purchase.

now, that's impressive. Bet the RIAA would hate them ...

Comments

[purplepiano.livejournal.com]

gnimmel pointed me in your direction, as I got High last week from Amazon, and it also turned out to be crippled. As I wrote in my LJ, I eventually managed to rip it on Windows using the sticky tape trick. Had no luck on my Mac though (OS 10.3/iTunes), how did you manage that?

Well done to Sanctuary though - I'm going to write now as well and see if they send me a proper CD. Friendly non-evil people!

[ramtops.livejournal.com]

I just e-mailed info@sanctuarygroup.com (mailto:info@sanctuarygroup.com).

Macs aren't as prone to the evil DRM as Windows boxes are - it took this one a while, but it did it in the end. However, as far as I'm concerned, that's not the point.

it's not a CD if it's crippled to me, but Hats (ho ho :) off to Sanctuary for being so good about it.

[burkesworks.livejournal.com]

Well, we're fortunate in that we own Macs, but a surefire way to work round copy-protection on other inferior kinds of computer is to buy a Sony MiniDisc recorder, plug it in to the soundcard, copy to MD and back to the hard drive ready for ripping. A bit convoluted to be sure, but it's never failed me yet.