Andrew

It expresses opinion, it’s not factual. If you persist then I shall make a formal complaint to the University.

Your choice.

Paul

That was the final email from Paul Birch, a label head and member of UK industry orgs BPI and IFPI [think RIAA of the UK] to blogger and fellow industry professional Andrew Dubber – also a UK university professor.

RIAA, extortion, and conspiracy, in the same sentence, a post – about a woman going after the RIAA now in court – from Download Squad that Andrew linked to is what set off the exchange between the two.

Andrew’s site is currently down [suspended - likely due to heavy traffic, story has been posted on Boing Boing [Record exec to academic: stop criticizing us or I'll tell your university] and TechDirt [Record Exec: Experts Cannot Criticize Our Strategies] and countless other sites as well]

Until Andrew’s site is back up you can read the complete email exchange over at TorrentFreak:
IFPI Board Member Threatens University Lecturer Over RIAA Criticism

Hilarious? Sad? Unbelievable? Wow!

You can now read the exchange and a good number of comments on his site
And in an example of rolling with what comes his way – something the labels might want to start anytime now – he also made another post to “salvage some sort of lesson for independent music business out of all this. That’s what I do”.

EDIT: The following is a comment made on Andrew’s site which just makes the situation that much sadder/hilarious:

Paul: “Thank you for clarifying these are my personal views not those of the IFPI, RIAA, BPI or others.”

So, Paul, you’re allowed to have personal opinions separate from organizations you might be associated with, but Andrew is not? Right, good to know. [Commenter's site]

Indeed.

Also:
It’s been a good week for Andrew – he guest blogged at Hypebot this week as well and they have a link there to a pdf book that compiles a 20 part series he’s been blogging on for the past bit – 20 Things You Must Know About Music Online