Chad Kroeger bitching that music piracy makes

[EdwardKnoxII 0]

After signing a major contract with McDonalds.

 

http://www.beated.com/modules/mylinks/visi...cid=16&lid=1213

 

Chad Kroeger Is Lovin’ McNuggets, Hatin’ Illegal Downloading

Thursday June 03, 2004 @ 03:00 PM

By: ChartAttack.com Staff

 

Apparently the kids are still downloading music. Apparently they’d still rather do it for free as opposed to paying. Apparently that’s still bad, and Chad Kroeger is not lovin’ it at all.

 

The Nickelback frontman and 604 Records executive has just shaken the big yellow glove of that red-haired harlequin known as Ronald to become the Canadian spokesman for the new McDonalds Big Mac Meal Tracks promotion. As if the delicious burger and convenient cardboard flip-box that your Big Mac comes in wasn’t treat enough, now you’ll also receive an access code with each sandwich or, for the more gluttonous of us, Extra Value Meal. Then, through a partnership with Sony and Puretracks, you’ll be able to log on to a website that will allow you to download one song absolutely free.

 

Kroeger, who incidentally likes the McNuggets best, spoke at a press conference held today at the Eaton’s Centre in Toronto for Big Mac Meal Tracks. There was the buffoonery of Ronald, the unveiling of a new I’m Lovin’ It ad campaign and a live performance by The Brothers Conti, who perform the soundtrack to the new commercials. Kroeger, however, was all about the music. Wearing a really cool-looking tan leather jacket, Kroeger sat down with ChartAttack to discuss the music industry, upcoming plans for Nickelback and perogies.

 

"If trends continue the way they are, there isn’t going to be any new music for people to download," says Kroeger. "From a guy who runs a record company, who produces bands and plays in a band, it’s a horrifying thought. I love playing my guitar for people and singing for people and I would hate to think that could all be taken away with a couple of clicks on a mouse."

 

While Kroeger admitted that it was difficult for younger people to have access to credit cards for the legal download sites, he claimed the problem ran deeper than simple economics.

 

"Young people don’t think," says Kroeger with more than a hint of anger in his voice. "I’d be surprised if young people know what the hell Sam The Record Man or HMV was. Everyone just goes to the computer, downloads whatever the hell they want, they burn it and then they just play it in their cars. That’s killing the music industry."

 

Kroeger sees the McDonalds/Sony initiative as being a positive step to help the music industry and those musicians hurt by rampant illegal downloads.

 

"Changing people’s mindsets, that’s what has to happen," Kroger says.

 

After performing at 44 arenas across Canada recently, Kroeger and the Nickelback boys are going to give the Great White North a little break as they head across the ocean before their American tour later this summer.

 

"We’re on our way to Germany," says Kroeger. "We’re playing festivals with Metallica and the Chili Peppers, then we come back and start the U.S. tour, the co-headlining tour with Three Doors Down and Puddle of Mudd."

 

While Kroeger admitted to liking the McNuggets (I didn’t find out if he preferred the new white meat ones) his favourite meal growing up wasn’t a McAnything.

 

"We didn’t have a lot of money growing up. I grew up in a trailer park, and once or twice a week my mom would boil some perogies," Kroeger says. "There wasn’t enough for everybody, there wasn’t enough for myself and my brother [Nickelback bassist Mike] and my mom, so Mike and I would sit on either side of her and she’d cut every single perogie into three. I’d get a chunk and he’d get a chunk and she’d get a chunk and that was what my favourite meal was growing up."

 

The Big Mac Meal Tracks launch will be on June 8 and will run through July 27.

 

—David Missio

[Guest Choken One]

Why couldn't THESE guys split up?

[CanadianChick 0]

Well, of the music that generally gets downloaded, I don't think the artists of these songs are suffering much. So instead of making $5 million on this record, they'll make $3 million? Excuse me for not sympathizing.

 

And of the artists that aren't main stream and are struggling to get noticed, downloading of their music is a good way to get noticed, right?

[Guest Choken One]

Pretty much...but those artists are still banking that those kids will bother buying the album.

 

I just buy cds...copy them and sell them back and only lose like 2 dollars in the process...so instead of spending 16.99...i spent 2.99 for that album.

[Guest Vitamin X]

I thought a huge argument should have been made that actual CD sales makes record labels and distributors take the hit financially, and that artists make most of their money doing tours?

[razazteca 0]

I'm sure Ticket Master and the owners of the concert venues screw over the artist just as bad as the RIAA

[Guest Deebo]

Why does this dude care. Who downloads Nickelback's shit music anyway.

[haVoc 0]

Down loading isn't the issue, the important question should be.... What the fuck is perogies?

[Guest I Got Banned for Sucking]

I enjoy expanding my CD collection. So I'll download music until I'm good and ready (ok, have the money) to buy the CD, and then the artists get their money.

 

And as for Chad's little hissy-fit, I'd be doing the exact same thing as him if I were a musician and it was affecting me, but the thing is, I'm not and it's not, so I don't give a shit - especially when I will end buying majority of the CDs of the music that I download.

[razazteca 0]

Down loading isn't the issue, the important question should be.... What the fuck is perogies?

Sausage?

[Guest cobainwasmurdered]

I drove past Chad's "house" the other day. It looks like it could use another wing or two. and the swimming pool doesn't look as nice as it could be.

[Nighthawk 0]

I'm sure Ticket Master and the owners of the concert venues screw over the artist just as bad as the RIAA

They don't.

[Guest The Winter Of My Discontent]

As a Canadian, I'd like to sincerely apologize to the rest of the world for unleashing this asshole onto you.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

I guess they are the worst band on Earth.

 

Also, Nickelback/Three Doors Down/Puddle of Mudd is the worst tour in the history of music. Bar none.

[Lil' Bitch 0]

At least McDonalds will support them when their fans don't

[Guest I Got Banned for Sucking]

I guess they are the worst band on Earth.

 

Also, Nickelback/Three Doors Down/Puddle of Mudd is the worst tour in the history of music. Bar none.

I bet Puddle of Mudd will feel pretty hardcore on that one.

[Red Hot Thumbtack In The Eye 0]

I figured out why I hate Nickelback. I was on a quest to get some ass from a cute blond chick so I downloaded and burned their new CD. It didn't work out.

 

Fuck Nickelback. I can't believe that I hail from the same province as them. Before they disowned us and started claiming Vancouver that is.

[Guest I Got Banned for Sucking]

I figured out why I hate Nickelback. I was on a quest to get some ass from a cute blond chick so I downloaded and burned their new CD. It didn't work out.

 

Fuck Nickelback. I can't believe that I hail from the same province as them. Before they disowned us and started claiming Vancouver that is.

If she likes Nickelback, she's not worth it.

 

And I take it you didn't get any?

[Red Hot Thumbtack In The Eye 0]

There aren't any black metal chicks around these parts that aren't fat and 14. I take what I can get. And I generally don't get. I think I'm going to go buy the new Good Charlotte album.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

..round up the fatties then. You even play black metal, this shouldn't be hard for you. Just wait a couple years and gain all their admiration, then fuck two at once. I guarantee they'll do it.

[Guest I Got Banned for Sucking]

There aren't any black metal chicks around these parts that aren't fat and 14.

It's scary just how accurate that is...

[Red Hot Thumbtack In The Eye 0]

I even recently burned a poppy mix cd for another cute blond. That didn't work out either.

 

But I did get to hear the glorious "...if you's a pimp ni__a go on brush ya shoulders off..." line on that Jay Z song because of it.

[Placebo Effect 0]

Did you guys even read the article?

 

I hate Nickelback and Kroeger. But Jesus, "604 Records executive," meaning that he's started his own label. That means he is allowed to have a legit concern for how the music business is going.

 

For young bands signed to any label, filesharing is a fear. Even if they only lose, say, 5,000 sales to filesharing, that's still a lot. Don't sell enough albums, even if the album hit the Internet six months before your CD came out? Meh, dropped.

 

Kroeger's dealing with six or seven new bands at the moment, and he's looking out for his own pocket, and the welfare of those bands signed.

 

Nothing wrong with that... Besides for him being an untalented asshole, but nonetheless.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

For young bands signed to any label, filesharing is a fear. Even if they only lose, say, 5,000 sales to filesharing, that's still a lot. Don't sell enough albums, even if the album hit the Internet six months before your CD came out? Meh, dropped

 

Bullshit. File sharing is free publicity, and the only way young independent bands can get their foot in the door. Considering the kinds of bands that end up hurt by file sharing, I can't praise it enough. The ones that REALLY get dicked in the grand scheme of things are the labels.

[haVoc 0]

I'd be pretty pissed if I was an artist. Especially if I was one who was trying to be successful.

 

Just imagine someone telling you, "You're album sold less then a million copies, but songs were DL' over a few million times, which lost you a few million album sales and about 2 million in royalities in your pocket."

 

I'd be throwing a major shit fit.

[Guest cobainwasmurdered]

yeah because just because people dowloaded a song or two means that they would have bought the album otherwise if DL'ing wasn't available?

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

That's still four million people listening to your music. If a musican's biggest concern is getting rich, they just should've gone to college and gotten a nice career.

[Guest I Got Banned for Sucking]

As I said, I'd also be pissed if I was an artist.

 

And what AoO just said is spot-on - there's still going to be people listening to your music, and if you're a band that is getting such a big download rate then you're not exactly going to be poor.

 

And that's not even taking into consideration 'try before you buy' people.

[Red Hot Thumbtack In The Eye 0]

I expect every single person on the planet to download the album I'm releasing this summer.

 

Twice.

 

I'm ok with trading a $20 cd purchse for twice as many people coming to see my band live and twice as many people passing my merchandise table at a show.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

What's your band's name? It'd better not suck.