Citizen Fish Inc.

       In 1996 the "ska" band from Britain known as Citizen Fish came to Las Vegas, Nevada and played a show out in the desert.  I had a Hi8 camcorder at the time and I was more than happy to record portions of the event for posterity.  They played with a shitload of great bands including the Lizards, the Automatics, Tedio Boys, and the Independents.  I shared these video as a free download on this blog.  

          Last month I got an email from someone who claims to represent Citizen Fish.  They claimed that they were the creators of said video and since it was their property it was my responsibility to cease and desist the sharing of their property.    

         Look, I got no qualms with people trying to make a living doing what they love.  But this is pure comedy.  I created this video and none of the other bands videotaped on that night have had their lawyers get in touch with me for allowing people to download the clips free of charge.  I won't talk shit about Citizen Fish.  Their mediocre music says more about who they are as opposed to any opinion I might have against the limey bastards.  

       I filed a counter complaint with Mediafire but since I don't have the time or inclination to fight Citizen Fish Inc. I will no longer be providing the clip of this band playing live in the deserts of Las Vegas to their adoring "fans."  

         Personally I never cared for Citizen Fish.  I thought it was cute that they would jump on the "Ska" or at the very least "Ska-inflected" band wagon back in the 90's.  More than anything they added to the shame of the 3rd wave of Ska revivalists which watered down ska to the point where you couldn't even hear the Jamaican roots anymore.  Just a bunch of white boys yanking their wanking.  

        I won't be posting this video clip to download ever again.  So don't ask.  For whatever reason they didn't ask me to take down the short interview I did with their singer Dick Cheese.  Or whatever the chaps name is.  Pip, pip spot of tea and all that sort of duff.  Although I will add that they didn't seem to fight youtube about the clip.  If you are interested in viewing these shit heels go check it out here.  Otherwise please spit on these douche bags if they come through your town to pick up a paycheck.  Punk fuckos.  

        If you see this clip released by Citizen Fish in a future DVD please note that you will not see my name in the credits as the cameraman for this clip.  I guess I'm the idiot for sharing this video for free to anyone interested in these goons.  I could have copyrighted the material to protect myself but why would I spend the money to copyright a video from a band I could care less about.  Perhaps more of my video content provided here will be pilfered and sold to unsuspecting music lovers?  Let's hope the other band videos seen here will not be marketed to you dear reader in the near future.  I highly doubt the other bands are of this ilk, you would think no one could be that stupid but just in case perhaps you should download as much as you can before anymore of these videos goes away?

        Here's a copy of the email sent to me:

Dear MediaFire User: 

MediaFire has received notification under the provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act ("DMCA") that your usage of a file is allegedly infringing on the file creator's copyright protection.

The file named Citizen Fish live Las Vegas,NV 1997 PART 1.mov is identified by the key (j0wydj3tntv).

As a result of this notice, pursuant to Section 512(c)(1)(C) of the DMCA, we have suspended access to the file.

The reason for suspension was:

I have a good faith belief that the items or materials listed below are not authorized by the above IP Owners, their agents, or the law and therefore infringe the IP Owner's rights.

Information about the party that filed the report:

Company Name: Remove Your Media LLC
Contact Address: 4760 Preston Rd Ste 244-227 Frisco, TX 75034
Contact Name: Eric Green
Contact Phone: 8665415173
Contact Email: infringement@removeyourmedia.com

Copyright infringement violates MediaFire's Terms of Service. MediaFire accounts that experience multiple incidents of alleged copyright infringement without viable counterclaims may be terminated.

If you feel this suspension was in error, please submit a counterclaim by following the process below.

        

DON'T STOP

          I’ve been sitting on this video for a few months but I haven’t been motivated to put it out until now.  I decided to post it tonight as a tribute to Jeff Hanneman the guitarist for Slayer who passed away yesterday.  He would have hated this and probably would have called it "gay" but who gives  shit?  Since his most important contribution to society (Reign) came out of Def Jam records this is somewhat fitting. 

            I will always have love for the heavymetalvomit party but my true love is hip hop.  I keep coming back to it It always seems to be coming back to me.  I’ve given up on several times.  Long stretches.  But I always return.  It’s like that, I’m like that, leave me the hell alone if you don’t think I’m a brother then check my chromosomes. 

            I was dating this black girl years ago and she made the observation that all her white boyfriends would recite rap lyrics like they were singing but her black boyfriends would never do that kind of corny shit.  She was probably right.      

            I’ll tell you a secret.  Listening to hip hop sometimes makes me feel like being violent.  In exactly the same way hardcore used to make me feel violent.  Instead of acting on that impulse I usually channel it into dancing.  Or smoking weed.  Just like I did with hardcore. I have to admit that violent paranoid feeling degrades over time.  When I first hear music of that nature it becomes a primal influence.  But once I’ve heard that same song time and time again that rush seems to fade.  I still believe that hiphop can bring about that feeling.  And I’ll admit hardcore still has that ability.  Thank god Slayer put out one more solid album before it ended.  I still wish they had put out one more.      

            Yeah I still got love for the hardcore, grindsnore, thrash blast bullshit, but I’m just sick of listening to white people so much.  I digress. 

            Anyway this whole mixed metaphor/build up leads to the reason for this post.  I made this one minute video as my first and possibly last homage to the style I love so much.  Hip hop!  Don’t worry I’m not kicking off my new career as a hip hop producer.  But I did all the beats, words, and vandalism.  Although the "animated" sequences were photographed on the streets of Athens, Greece when I traveled there last year.  Since this video contains material that is legally questionable I will not be uploading this shit to fucking youtube.  I don’t need videos of me perpetrating out there circulating.  It's only available here as a download but don't shit yourself with cyber worry it's only 60 megabites and it runs just over one minute.  Maybe I’ll post it on youtube eventually.  I mean you can’t prove shit right?

             After the old man/nostalgia/memory lane video I presented in the last post I like to think of this video as more in touch with the moment being lived today.  Perfectly representing where I stand as a 41 year old man.   

Jeff Hanneman RIP.  

The name of the short is DON'T STOP.  Download it below:

DON'T STOP!