Copyright Death
I happened upon a band by the name of Copyright Death. It’s not a well known band. All it’s members go to Seneca College in Toronto, Canada. Their website does not list any shows. They do indicate they have an album coming out in the Fall, and they have just shot a music video. They do have over 200 friends on their MySpace site, though.
The reason I paused on this band is that I love the name. I imagined a dark yet clever social commentary on the questions and struggles of interpretation of copyright law, and the seeming assault on copyrights launched by some large (super-mega-gigantuan?) companies. A band, the archetype of social rebellion, is such a beautiful place to directly challenge whatever aspect of copyright they wanted to challenge.
But when I read through their sites, it turns out the only commentary being made by their name is that they were afraid their original name would be taken away from them because apparently something else laready had that name. So before their name was “copyright deathed,” they went ahead and named themselves “Copyright Death” as a preemptive strike.
Aside from being disappointed that the name meant no more than that, I find it sadly and yet hysterically ironic that if they actually had been required to give up their name because someone else had it first, it would have been because of trademark laws, not copyright laws.
Which means their name is neither fun social commentary nor even correct. Oh well. Maybe their music makes up for it.
October 2nd, 2007 at 6:49 pm
:O someone sent this to me just know, I am actually one of the members of this band! I am surprised anyone has actually found us/written an article about us, even it is just about our name. Yeah, I didn’t even really think about trademark vs copyright, I just sort of blurted it out and Aaron was like “hey that is a good band name” and that is what happened. You are welcome to interpret it however you want though ! I had something else to say but I completely forget what D:
October 2nd, 2007 at 8:10 pm
D= Gosh, I am also a member of the band, but I don’t go to Seneca! I go to University of Toronto Scarborough! Bombshelter campus! I approve of your disappointment. I am disappointed all the time! Like now! I wish we could have amused you more!
October 2nd, 2007 at 9:59 pm
Trademark Death… haha. Why didn’t we think of that.
February 28th, 2010 at 2:18 pm
Hello. I happened upon your web site while I was looking for something completely unrelated. While I don’t agree with everything you posted we do have almost the same thoughts by and large. I’ve bookmarked your website and may visit again in the near future to see what you’re talking about in 2010!