I thought out here I'd be restricted to print media or at best a slow dial-up connection, which is the only reason I bought a copy of the Guardian newspaper this morning.
One story that caught my eye, and which also appears on-line, was the news that rock group Metallica were taking legal action against a Canadian band called Unfaith. Reportedly, the action was taken to prevent other musicians from using the E and F guitar chords.
Lars Ulrich, Metallica's drummer is quoted as saying:
We're not saying we own those two chords, individually - that would be ridiculous. We're just saying that in that specific order, people have grown to associate E, F with our music.The story was, as the Guardian reports, a hoax and one that caught a lot of people out. It even fooled a few radio stations into playing Unfaith songs to protest Metallica's bevahiour.
The story is a fine example of successful viral marketing or "word of mouse", the impact of which seems to have taken the Canadian band by surprise. As one band member commented:
I'm just annoyed that this satire has done more for us in a day than three years of hard work and door-knocking ever did.One thing I found a little surprising about the Guardian's report was that, in a story about viral marketing and the power of the internet, they didn't provide a link to an on-line example of the hoax or any of the reactions to it.
Maybe someone should tell the Guardian about linky goodness.
