UPDATE TO THE BELOW POST - GEMA themselves did respond to my "GEMA SEEMS to block artists own websites," but according to them: "@GEMAdialog "No, actually we don’t," " via twitter in their defence with a link to:
THIS INFO
regarding a sort of mexican standoff that has been going on since 2009 between them and youtube, or, in their own words:
"GEMA's negotiations with YouTube

GEMA has been negotiating unsuccessfully with YouTube over a new licensing contract for music use in Germany since April 2009.

After contract negotiations with YouTube broke off in May 2010, GEMA and seven other music author societies formed an alliance together.

A legal action was filed at the end of 2010 and delivered to YouTube in April. Twelve music works that should be blocked are listed in the legal action.

YouTube is now blending an announcement in for blocked videos asserting that GEMA has refused to grant the rights to these videos. However, this is not true – the fact is, YouTube has simply not acquired the rights for that particular video up until this point in time. You can find a detailed explanation of our viewpoint on these matters on our blog.

The chronology of these events are detailed in the press releases on this subject:..."

of interest is that its not us its them sort of thing they do with the statement: "YouTube is now blending an announcement in for blocked videos asserting that GEMA has refused to grant the rights to these videos. However, this is not true – the fact is, YouTube has simply not acquired the rights for that particular video up until this point in time."

SO: Going back to my original beef with these beurocrats: Does this mean that - according to GEMA - YouTube would have to get rights to every video ever - even live concert footage posted by the artist themselves before it was visible in Germany?...

BTW: I also noticed that ALL the videos on the official youtube site of popular metal band MASTODON (who just played Berlin a few days ago) are blocked...

GEMA MUST DIE

HOW am I supposed to fall in love with a band and go see them on tour and buy their music if this organization is BLOCKING the BAND's OWN YOUTUBE CHANNEL?
sorry, staves.
http://www.youtube.com/user/thestaves
DEAR GEMA, WIE BESCHEUERT SEID HIR DENN?
GEMA
GEMA NEEDS TO EITHER go away or at the very least wake up to the unintended consequesnces of their actions...
If for no other reason than the fact that it blocks videos posted by the artists OWN youtube site...
Yesterday a friend recommended the band the Staves and send me a link to a video that the band had uploaded ON THEIR OWN YOUTUBE SITE which was subsequently blocked by the misguided do-googer pseudo government organisation GEMA.

GEMA decrees on its site: "Whoever wants to playback or perform music in public in Germany will become, as a rule by doing this, a customer of GEMA."
So, by default, anyone who makes or hears music is automatically a customer and therefore beholden to their rules?

ALSO of NOTE: "GEMA is a legally authorized collecting society – and is in close contact with legislators."
gema muss sterben, WAR ON GEMA GEMA ORGINAZATION NEEDS TO $%#&ing DIE; OR: I FRACKING HATE GEMA

USED UNIVERSE art kitchen
this is your kitchen full of art on iPad.
berlin 2012

I bought The Fantastic Mr. Fox in the UK on DVD which featured "FREE DIGITAL DOWNLOAD" for iTunes, PC, etc. but as it turns out when I retuned to Germany I was not able to get/register the free digital download because it was good only for the UK and Ireland iTunes store... so even though i purchased and own it... there is a stupid loophole... whatever. But the the film industry probably shouldn't wonder why people are still illegally downloading movies if something like this happens, that is I try to be legit but am cut off by liscensing bullcrap. yadda yadda.

YEAR OF THE DRAGON TEMPORARY TATOO
 
 
really great temporary tatoos found at the .55 sent store.

 
just doom it.

whiskey and doom metal nights TBA...

berlin