Message to Epic Records: You Suck

I was hoping to write a review of The Dead 60s today. I just bought their CD and loved the "Riot Radio" track I'd heard on the radio. But I can't. It turns out that Epic, the record company that released the record, doesn't trust me (or you, for that matter) enough to allow me to listen to the CD on my computer. They've instituted some ridiculous DRM (Digital Rights Management) scheme and treated me, a customer of theirs, like a common criminal. They presume I will copy it, burn thousands of copies and cut into their profits.

Well, that wasn't my plan, but if they are afraid I will cut into their profits, I'll be glad to do so now:

Do Not Buy "The Dead 60s."

You won't be able to play it in the media player of your choice (iTunes in my case) and you will be treated like a nefarious bootleg smuggler simply for buying their CD.

How's this for a user experience? I put the CD in my computer and iTunes didn't recognize it. I tried Windows Media Player (a last resort in my opinion) and same thing. Then after 15 minutes, some window pops up on my computer asking me if I agree to the Dead 60's license agreement. Huh? Curious, I click OK, and it proceeds to install a proprietary player on my computer. Unbelievable. I didn't buy some Top Secret Classified Government secrets. I bought a CD. All I want to do is play it. And, here's the clincher... the copy protection is stupid. I could easily circumvent the copy protection... anybody with a kindergarten education can. But that's illegal. So I won't. I will simply return the CD and flip a high holy fuck you to the jerks that set this up.

I don't know why the record companies are so damned stupid. I purchased the CD. I have the right to consume it. If they choose to deny me that right they lose me as a customer. Dead 60's and Epic, may you rot in hell you greedy, short-sighted, stupid fucking bastards.