A blogger's attempt to restore early R.E.M. demos has been thwarted by the band's label, Universal. The blogger, who goes by the pen name Analog Loyalist, received a Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) takedown notice from Universal, via the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), after he restored an early R.E.M. demo cassette and posted it to his blog, Power of Independent Truckin.
Analog Loyalist argues that Universal has no claim to the early demo, which was created before R.E.M. were signed to Universal.
"Tell me, what role does the IFPI (of which Universal is obviously a member) have to do with unreleased material recorded when the band had no record contract?," he asks.
He continues, "These were demos freely given away by the band. On low-fi C45 cassettes. And the IFPI thinks it's their business how?"
Loyalist has restored early demos of other bands including the Smiths, Joy Division, and New Order. Universal is urging Loyalist to refrain from doing the same with R.E.M.'s early demos. He now says he is questioning whether or not to go through with the R.E.M. restoration blog because he does not want hard work to go to waste.
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