Page 7
The Compass
October 9, 2003
ENTERTAINMENT
Connecting with Jazz
Damion O. Lewis
Connection performs at the Fine Arts Building
RIAA tries to halt file-sharing
Lament Dozier
commanderdozier@yahoo.com
Staff Writer
Ever since the rise of the cur-
rently-defunct Napster, the Recording
Industry Association of America has
been playing the most prominent role
in putting a halt to file-sharing. File-
sharing is characterized by the swap
ping of files between many users
through a gigantic database. How
ever, when Napster, which was prob
ably the most visited web site of its
time, was shut down by the federal
courts due to copyright infringement,
many other file-sharing programs be
came available. (Morpheus, Kazaa,
Music City, Grokstin) Since the RIAA
basically represents the entire record
ing industry, they decided to up the
ante on individual file-sharers through
a series of subpoenas, issued earlier
this summer. All 1,600 of these sub
poenas required that internet ser
vice providers turn over personal
data about the accused subscribers.
The RIAA has provided an
amnesty program to file-sharers
wanting to wipe their legal slate
clean. Cary Sherman, the president
of the RIAA, says anyone who prom
ises in a notarized letter to delete
the unauthorized material will be
free from future lawsuits. However,
it has been suggested by many law
yers that identifying yourself as an
active file-sharer will open you up
to legal action from music publish
ers, movie studios, and any copy
right owner.
Septembers, 261 people were
sued for violating copyright infringe
ment laws. Copyright laws allow
damages ranging for $750 to
$150,000 per song. Record labels
have recently been noted in the
news for suing four college students
in the spring, the following settle
ments for those cases ranged from
$12,000 to $17,500. Although the
RIAA won the settlements, the
awarded amount never goes to the
artist. The RIAA uses the money to
fund more enforcement programs.
“What this situation proves is that the
RIAA ha,s not looked at the real prob
lem here. People share music so
much because they want it fast, now,
and cheap. Instead of investigating
a supposed cause of lagging sales
perhaps they should rethink their
business to attract file sharers,” said
Damion Lewis, a senior ECSU student.
“Hold on,” states a local ECSU
student, “I thought that the RIAA’s ar
gument centered around the fact that
recording labels and artists were not
getting the correct amount because
of the file-sharing. That means that
Damion O. Lewis
dolewis@sprintpcs.com
Staff Writer
“Isn’t Jazz wonderful,” asked
musician and director Wayne P.
James at last Friday’s Jazz concert.
Judging from the crowd’s response,
the answer was a resounding yes.
Despite the inclement weather
and change of venue, many turned
out for a night of real music and fun.
As a part of the University’s Lyceum
series of programs, Friday night’s
Jazz concert featured the local Jazz
band, “Connection.” The experience
can best be described as a connec
tion with music’s roots. For a style
so influential as Jazz, Friday’s con
cert was a reminder of the experi
ence that music can provide.
Connection performed music
from the likes of Ellington, Basing,
and Grover to name a few, with ar
rangements ranging from easy listen
ing, to slow grooving, into toe tap
ping, finger snapping tunes that had
the audience caught in the rapture
of Connection.
Later in the show, trumpet
player and lead Wayne P. James in
troduced his fellow band members,
Dennis Figgs, John Brown, Melvin
the RIAA is doing the same thing,
shortchanging the recording labels
and artists of their own money, said
Jabari White, a freshman ECSU stu
dent.
The fact that RIAA has declined
to file lawsuits against the creators
of the programs has drawn much
criticism. Technically, the program
mers can and cannot be blamed for
the file-sharing. Although the pro
grammers create the outlet for file-
sharing,, the users are the actual
sharers. When a user makes a re
quest for a certain song, their request
is entered into the programmer’s in
dex server, which lists all of the avail
able songs. Once the request phase
is completed, the file is downloaded
directly from the sharing user’s com
puter, thus turning each computer
using the program into a mini-server.
However, many people believe that
Jones, and himself, playing key
board, bass, drums, and trumpet re
spectfully.
Connection performed about 11
pieces including a humorous blues
rendition, sung by James. The
show’s highlights included various
solos by each of the musicians dur
ing a performance piece. The most
popular among show attendees
came in the form of a small battle
between Grammy nominated musi
cian John Brown, and Elizabeth City
State University’s own Melvin Jones.
They went back and forth as the
strings fought off a battle with the
might of the percussion instruments,
ending in a grand spectacle of cheers
and applause from the crowd.
“I love this music because its
got my blood going,” said James at
the conclusion of one piece.
Jazz music invigorates, in
forms, relaxes, entertains, and influ
ences all who hear it. For those who
missed the concert it truly was an ex
perience, a chance to connect with
the roots of American music, and to
hear it live and in person. Although
there is Jazz on ECSU’s radio sta
tion 89.9, it pales in comparison to
the live “Connection” made at the
Floyd L. Robinson auditorium on Fri
day.
offering the possibility of such shar
ing is solely the fault of the program’s
creator, since the creator, not the
user, offered the service initially.
As a result of the pending law
suits, many questions have been
asked. “Don’t they [RIAA] realize that
file-sharing will always exist?”...”if
sharing is ultimately destroyed on the
Internet, which 1 seriously doubt,
people will just go back to taping
songs off the radio.” Fifteen com-
puter-owners on this campus were
surveyed about having file-sharing
programs, all of them had at least one
file-sharing program. Copying mu
sic shows little signs of actually com
ing to a complete stop. Since other
methods of copying music, methods that
could never be regulated by the RIAA,
do exist, file-sharing cannot be wholly
discontinued. The RIAA hopes to
heavily impact the amount of files shared.
Country music
legend dies
MUSIC REVIEW
The Neptunes & Star Trak
present... Clones
Very, very few producers can cross over with a memorable album. However, that theory has been shat-
ered with the Neptunes’ second release, “Clones.” While their first album, “In Search of...,” proved to be nothing
3Ut uninteresting, selling only around 600,000 copies, “Clones" serves listeners a plate of tasteful tracks with the
sole purpose of making you at least bob your head. “Clones” has everything that Neptunes' fans have come to
sxpect from the duo: excellent beats, and good rappers to support the excellent beats.
The best tracks on the album are the tracks giving you more than you expect. On the second track, “Light
your Ass on Fire”, the Neptunes’ solid beat draws you into the song white Busta Rhymes throws decent rhymes to
•natch the song. The electro beat is so hypnotizing that you almost never notice the number of times Busta throws
the word “ass" into'the song. Trontin’ ", the smash-hit single from the album, with a hook so catchy that you
eventually start hearing it without the song, comes off sounding like Prince circa 2003. Another very notable track
s the first official track from 01’ Dirty Bastard a.k.a. Dirt McGirt since his release from prison, “Pop Shit." Not only
does this song manage to sport a George Clinton-esque hook daring you to repeat, Dirt McGirt throws so many
words at you that it's possible to get dizzy* not that it’s a bad thing, of course.
However, there are some tracks that don’t quite live up to their potential. “This Beat is Hot” is one of those
■ecords where the beat is so simple yet contagious while the rhyming is less developed. In the middle of the
album, there are songs that seem like they belong in the Neptunes’ first album instead of this album. But when you
nix that with a couple of very under-appreciated R&B tracks and above par rap tracks from the likes of Ludacris.
Snoop Dogg, Nelly, and N.O.R.E,, as well as an excellent reggae track from Supercat, you realize that the Neptunes
eally can do no wrong when it comes down to producing a good album.
Overall, the Neptunes have proven that they can match Jermaine Dupri and Timbaland by producing their
3wn hit album. “Clones” is a great, oddball mix of rap, rock, reggae, and R&B done in such a crazy way that you
know deep down inside that it has to be right. With a mix of the unconventional and bizarre, The Neptunes have
claimed a spot within the realm of great music. With that fn consideration, It’s no wonder at all, as to why every
;ype of artist has at least one or two.. .or perhaps fifteen Neptunes tracks on their album.
★★★★
Submitted by
Lamont Dozier
Staff Writer
Jawana Mosley
jdmosely@mail.ecsu.edu
Staff Writer
On Friday, September 12,2003,
America lost one Of its remaining leg
ends. Johnny Cash died in
Nashville’s Baptist Hospital, due to
respiratory failure from diabetes.
Cash, born on February 26, 1932,
(often referred to as the Man in
Black), was a visionary who inspired
not only the country music genre, but
all aspects of music and various other
forms of entertainment. Throughout
his life he lived up to the bad boy im
age that he exuded through his des
perado swagger and his cunning wit.
He had an image of never backing
down from his principles. This earned
him endless respect from his fellow
artists and fans.
Cash, who was married to June
Carter on March 1, 1968, resided in
Hendersonville, Tennessee with his
wife until her recent death on May 15,
2003. Though Cash and June both
had daughters from previous relation
ships, in March of 1970, June gave
birth to Cash’s first and only son, John
Carter Cash. Cash could not have
been prouder of his son. He traveled
with his parents endlessly, and even
performed at various events with
them.
One of Cash’s most successful
compilations was titled ‘Live from San
Quentin.” This record was performed
and recorded at the San Quentin cor
rectional facility. His most controver
sial song on this record was “A Boy
Named Sue.” In this song Cash
asked the question, “Now how you
wanna die?” Although many were ap
palled by the song, the record sold
over six million copies and sky rocketed
over six million copies and sky rock
eted him to a new level of success.
In 1971, Cash made his film
debut as the co-star to Kirk Douglas
in “A Gunfight.” He followed up this
ibicture the following year with the
film “Gospel Road,” a film about the
life of Christ shot on location in the
Holy Land and produced by Cash.
Yet film could not contain Cash, and
he went on to expand his acting to
television in the made-for-TV mov
ies, “Thaddeus Rose and Eddie”
(1978), “The Pride of Jesse Hallam”
(1981) and “The Last Days of Frank
and Jesse James.” He also ap
peared on the popular television
series Columbo and “Little House on
the Prairie” (which also featured
June Carter Cash).
Years later, ABC gave him a
variety show. He went far beyond
their expectations of the show. He
was eclectic in his choices of guests
and was the type of man who could
enjoy hanging out with Bob Dylan
and Richard Nixon.
Attheageof42, Cash was the
youngest member to be inducted
into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
In 1992, at the age of 60, he was
inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall
of Fame. Although he was steadily
receiving accolades for his music,
his music label made what many
perceived has the biggest mistake
in Nashville, Columbia dropped
Johnny Cash.
After years of struggling and
dealing with health issues. Cash
signed with American Records.
Cash was finally able to be himself
again without censure. When given
this opportunity he ran with it and
succeeded on his own terms. His
most recently acknowledged song,
“Hurt” encompasses his past and his
present. Originally a Nine Inch Nails
song. Cash takes the song and
makes it is own. Many believe that
this song is Cash’s way of accepting
life for what it was and having no re
grets for the way that it played out.
Cash won a total of 11 Grammy
Awards throughout his lifetime. His
most recently received was in 2003,
when “Give My Love To Rose” earned
him honors as best male country vo
cal performance. He also won nu
merous Country Music Association
awards.
Real art is eternal. It lives on
without thought of time or space,
past or present. Art is a piece of one’s
soul that is infinitely imprinted upon
those that are fortune to witness it.
Art is life, and Johnny Cash was a
true artist. It has been said that
“Hero’s get remembered, but leg
ends never die.” From Snoop Dogg
to Justin Timberiake, Tim McGraw to
Alan Jackson, Cash’s unique person
ality and poetic styling has made an
impact on American culture and
served as an ambassador between
nations. His music, his voice, and his
passion will live forever in the hearts
and minds of those fortunate enough
to have known his legacy. And as long
as there is music, there will always
be a piece of Johnny Cash.