Animal Collective respond to Web Sheriff/song leak

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Merriweather Post Pavillion

State Magazine: What do you make of the whole album leakage scenario with Web Sheriff policing your album?
Avey Tare of Animal Collective: I obviously think it's a bummer for the fact that [the French magazine who first leaked the track 'Brother Sport'] would leak one of our tracks or do that kind of thing because I feel like more often than not, we're so willing to comply with certain requirements that magazines have, doing things that are almost a little bit hard for us to organise like special photoshoots and stuff like that. It feels like you're kinda being taken advantage of when you put all this work into something and you're doing this for somebody else and they go behind your back almost and do that kind of thing. It doesn't bother to me that's its out on the web.

Have you met Ed from Grizzly Bear? It was quite a silly situation he was in a few weeks back?
I've met Ed a couple of times and he's a really nice guy. None of that stuff came from us personally.

But it is a representation of your band..
Totally and to look like we have no idea what's going on is a little bit unfortunate. To attack people that just kind of enjoy the music. I think that's kind of a shame but at the same time, the [French] magazine was also reprimanded. Once it's out there there's not a lot you can do. I find it a little intense and almost tabloid-esque that it becomes so newsworthy at this point. I think that blogs or websites like Pitchfork have to take it to that level where it becomes this like they have nothing better to write about. I think it's a little unfortunate.

I can try to be funny here and point out that I just wrote about it again, or I can be serious and say I think this is actually interesting and indie-rock-silly-web-sheriff-anticipated-album-leaks-blogs-Brooklyn-bands-with-animal-names-etc newsworthy.

In related news, Ed Droste picked his top 10 albums of 2008 and Animal Collective added a show at Bowery Ballroom and are playing ATP NY.

Tags: Animal Collective, Avey Tare, Edward Droste, Grizzly Bear, leaks, web sheriff

posted at 12:49 PM on December 9, 2008 in music | Comments (39)

Comments (39)

pop music will never be the same

Posted by Anonymous | December 9, 2008 12:58 PM

Posted by Anonymous | December 9, 2008 12:59 PM

Why so defensive. Avey seems to have touched a nerve with that "tabloid-esque" description, eh?

Posted by Anonymous | December 9, 2008 1:00 PM

so wait a minute does it bother him or not? he contradicts himself in space of 3 sentences. If it doenst bother you than why do you have this web sheriff out threatening to sue people?

Posted by Anonymous | December 9, 2008 1:16 PM

I think the link says Slate...

Posted by Anonymous | December 9, 2008 1:20 PM

That must be why it was cobralegs....

Posted by Anonymous | December 9, 2008 1:20 PM

1:16

Read the full interview. He's annoyed it was a magazine. He doesn't seem to care one track leaked and people were blogging it.

Posted by Anonymous | December 9, 2008 1:21 PM

I dress up like a sherrif

& shout in people's faces in crowds

until they can smell that i had jimmy dean links for breakfast

but it's not worth the shame that comes

do not abuse false power ever

Posted by twighs f tw. | December 9, 2008 1:25 PM

This should ruffle some feathers now that the current presidents of indie music are pushing back at some of their biggest supporters! OMG!

Posted by Anonymous | December 9, 2008 1:43 PM

i hope all this shit puts the web sheriff out of business

Posted by Anonymous | December 9, 2008 2:01 PM

What's the password for the leak?

Posted by Anonymous | December 9, 2008 2:02 PM

My Girls leaked. It's gooood.

Posted by Eduardo | December 9, 2008 2:06 PM

hey look full album leaked-- get it before web sherrif does

http://link-protector.com/add_link.php

Posted by richard | December 9, 2008 2:12 PM

whoops sorry use this http://link-protector.com/673613/

Posted by richard | December 9, 2008 2:15 PM

whoops sorry use this http://link-protector.com/673613/

Posted by richard | December 9, 2008 2:26 PM

wow this is great

Posted by layla | December 9, 2008 2:30 PM

faaaake leak

douche
bayg

Posted by Anonymous | December 9, 2008 2:31 PM

yeah this might be fake but i'm worried that it's not, unfortunately. it's pretty mediocre.

Posted by omar | December 9, 2008 2:34 PM

thanks dick...err, richard.

Posted by Anonymous | December 9, 2008 2:35 PM

Asshole!!! I'm trying to steal music without paying one penny for it, and you duped me!!!

Posted by Rajah of Rehab | December 9, 2008 2:36 PM

thats like saying "im really annoyed that my boyfriend posted my naked pics on the web, but now that its out there Im ok with it." does that make sense?

Posted by Anonymous | December 9, 2008 2:49 PM

"my girls" already got a remix: http://www.zshare.net/audio/5245865090ed4930

Posted by bear of the teddy | December 9, 2008 2:58 PM

2:49 does not make sense because that was a terrible analogy to the situation AC presented.

Posted by Anonymous | December 9, 2008 3:37 PM

I think it makes perfect sense.

Posted by Anonymous | December 9, 2008 3:57 PM

"if you dont want your music to leak, don't give a sample of it to a magazine". same as "if you dont want your naked pics on the internet, dont give them to your bf".

Posted by Anonymous | December 9, 2008 4:07 PM

WHERE'S SATRIANA, HURRY UP!

Posted by Anonymous | December 9, 2008 4:14 PM

web sherrif is just stupid. it looks terrible.

Even when you DON'T leak material they crop up. Check the comments on this live review.

http://www.thelineofbestfit.com/2008/11/andrew-bird-at-stgiles-church-london-20112008/

Posted by ro cemm-Evans | December 9, 2008 4:22 PM

dude seriouly fuck animal collective. its bollocks

Posted by Anonymous | December 9, 2008 4:35 PM

What's surprising about this interview is that Animal Collective seems to have memory loss when it comes to the tactics that made them famous. They participated and advocated (Collected Animals fan forum)fans trading their recordings--albeit live--but it was free distribution of their music that has help fueled their popularity.

Posted by LtotheB | December 9, 2008 5:05 PM

rock bands always get to have it both ways, sending their lawyers out to do their bidding, then pretending it's all blissfully out of their control

Posted by Anonymous | December 9, 2008 5:22 PM

Thank god, Web Sheriff didn't respond to any of that. Maybe he will stop posting on this site...

Posted by Anonymous | December 9, 2008 5:43 PM

I'm pretty sure the label, and not the band, is responsible for hiring Web Sheriff.

Posted by Anonymous | December 9, 2008 5:47 PM

People seem to not understand that Animal Collective are employees of a record label, Domino.

Posted by JFR | December 9, 2008 5:48 PM

Gynecologist could not be reached for comment.

Posted by Anonymous | December 9, 2008 6:00 PM

it's sad that you guys believe your musician heroes are saints.