The whole bootleg remix scene seems to be growing since the high profile
coverage of EMI's attempts to stop producer Danger Mouse from distributing
his Jay Z / Beatles bootleg remix project, the Grey Album. As more people
discover the fun of mashing two or more existing tracks together to create a new one, two anonymous bootleg fans have started distributing a 'Jay-Z
Construction Kit' to help wannabe remixers create their own version of the
'Grey Album'.
Being distributed via the P2P network BitTorrent, the Kit includes the a capella vocals from Jay-Z's 'Black Album', hundreds of classic music samples and simple audio editing software that allows users to make their own instrumentals. There's even a library of hip-hop clipart images that bootleggers can use to create artwork for their remixes.
And if you need inspiration there are nine CDs of other Jay-Z mixes to listen to, including Kev Brown's 'The Brown Album' and Ninth Wonder's 'The Black Remixes'.
Unlike EMI, who own the rights to the Beatles' catalogue, the Jay-Z camp have not yet objected to Danger Mouse's 'Grey Album', with label boss Damon Dash telling the American press he thought the mix was a great idea.
Some majors see bootleg remixes as great ways to raise the profile, re-energise the marketing or build some credibility for existing releases and as such do not object, so long as no one in the bootleg community is making too much money out of the exercise. Whether that unofficial policy will stand if, post-Danger Mouse, bootlegging goes mainstream, remains to be seen.
There is more information about the Construction Kit, and how to download it
via BitTorrent.
Meanwhile, DJ Spooky has put his mash up of Jay-Z's 'Black Album' with
Metallica's eponymous 1991 album, which fans also call the 'Black Album', up
on his website.
For more on the bootlegging scene check the article in Monday's CMU Weekly -
and for a weekly round up of bootleg news and links subscribe to our sister
newsletter - the Remix Update - by sending an email with 'subscribe' in the
subject line to remix@xfm.co.uk
Article comments
1 - Mark Saleski
geezuz! i'm listening to Abstrakt_Blowback_20 from his site.
...i just heard a bit of bollywood-style music mashed with missy elliot's "work it"
very cool.
2 - Jay
I highly reccomend checking out Morgan Page's new bootleg album "Cease and Desist." It has remixes of The Kills, Coldplay, Tegan & Sara, and a bunch of others..