Record Label Vs. Limewire: The Divebar Knockout Edition

Many, many, many music consumers use file sharing service Limewire to download music how you say 'free of charge', and never really think twice about it. But some people out there have file sharing on the brain - chippin' deeper and deeper every day. Obsession in the worst way.

A bit of that shit hit the fan this week when staffers from indie record label Dovecote ran into  staffers from Limewire.They got in a fight. It started over pizza. Unfortunately it ended with only beer pouring and name calling. Because what would be radder then software nerds and record label folks knocking each other out in a crappy bar.

According to the Dovecote blog this is how it went down:

What follows actually happened:

Woman: “Who the FUCK are you?  And why are you eating our pizza?”

<Long pause>  Kosuke and Paul look confused.

Kosuke: Are you joking?  Is this a joke?

Woman:  No this is definitely NOT a joke.  I want to know who you are and why you’re eating our pizza.

Kosuke: Well our friend came in and told us there was free pizza at the bar.  We are.  So.  Sorry. It was a misunderstanding.

Woman: (with unbridled entitlement) This is a company party our CEO is here and you STOLE our pizza.  Are you from out of town?  Because let me tell you, NOTHING is free in New York City.  Nothing is free… well maybe except for the condoms in Times Square. 

Paul and Kosuke continue apologizing.  They offer to pay for the two slices. 

Woman: (didactically snobbish) We don’t want your money. No.  Enjoy the pizza, but you can’t steal other people’s things.  You can’t take what’s not yours

Again the duo continues their apologies.  Kosuke tries to turn the situation around and befriend them.

Kosuke: What company do you guys work for?

Woman: We work for Limewire.

<Long pause>  Kosuke’s eyes go wide.  Anger festers in his pupils.

Kosuke: Oh ok.  Well I work at a record label so fuck you.  You’ve stolen from us enough. (Bites pizza. Begins to walk away.)

Random Other Woman: (rehearsing the spiel corporate made her commit to memory in case she bumps into Lars Ulrich) We can’t control what’s being shared by our users.  If our users decide to share something illegal we can’t stop them… (trails off)

Paul and Kosuke return to the backroom utterly shocked and tell the rest of us what transpired.  Paul’s anger builds.  He stands up.  Puts his bag on runs out the door, taking an entire pizza box with him.  Matt T., a software developer at Limewire, tries to stop Paul by grabbing him and pouring beer all over his shirt, backpack, laptop, and pants.