A call came into Drum & Bass Arena’s news desk on Friday evening. It was Heist. And he wasn’t happy. Dodgy VIP versions of last year’s rasping rave-up The Verdict have been doing the rounds… And he wants to do something about it.
“I’ve had people getting in touch via Facebook and email asking me if I knew it was being given away for free,” he sighs. “It’s so annoying. You contact the owners of the site to get them to take it down but it’s not so simple. They need proof of copyright infringement and solid reasons why they should take it down. It’s a time consuming process and more often than not, they never get taken down.”
It’s a frustrating tale all good producers will tell you. What’s even more beguiling is that the version doesn’t even do the original justice as it’s cobbled together via radio clips, YouTube and rave CD packs.
“It’s a rogue version, it’s poor quality and it doesn’t look good on me either,” spits Heist. “It looks pretty shit actually!”
So in a one-fingered bid to the pirates, he’s giving it away… If it’s out there anyway, he wants to make sure everyone has the best quality version. Plus it also acts as a nice thank you to the people who’ve supported the original as it recently scored second best tune of 2011 at the National Drum & Bass Awards.
“Yeah, I’m really happy with that support, it’s amazing, so this is a thank you to the right people,” he grins before explaining how the VIP came about. “I’d been trying out the original for about a year, testing the mixdowns and everything was in place. So when the original came out I made the VIP for a bit of a twist and a novelty for my own sets. It’s good for catching people off guard!”
With its subverted riff and added bass savagery, it will catch your dancefloor off guard too. Just click the link below to download via our own store. But first, a final message from Heist to the pirates.
“Piracy is endemic in all forms of creative arts but think about what you’re doing,” he explains. “If you’re making a copy of a tune, or downloading it illegally, you’re harming the scene you love! It’s a small scene in comparison to other industries; if people lose out then they can’t invest in their next track. It’s mad. This is why a lot of DJs don’t release their music; they think it’s going to be given away so why bother?
“Drum and bass is big and popular but it’s not rolling in cash. If you’re not gigging at every opportunity then there’s really very little money in releases. And music’s never been cheaper! It’s not like £5-6 a vinyl any more. It’s about a pound for the best quality and it’s supporting artists. If everyone bought legally then you’d notice the difference.”
Wise words. Visit our store to download The Verdict VIP for FREE here!
Thank Heist personally on Facebook and Twitter