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	Saturday April 15, 2000		EVENING EDITION * 25¢

The April Fool

It appears that the April Fools Day article that we ran in the last issue of the Times has caused a direct conflict between us (the staff at The Hazelnut Valley Times) and the Witchazel bassist Paco (who was targeted by the article). Many strong words have since been exchanged between us.

Before we continue we would like to make it clear that when we approached Witchazel management on the right to exclusive interviews with the band as well as a direct pipeline to breaking news, it was agreed by ALL parties involved, we would be given full artistic license over the articles that we printed. We fully maintain and stand by this statement. We admit that the media and the members of the entertainment industry do not always see "eye to eye". Although we all must agree that neither could flourish without the other. This sometimes forms a sick and twisted co-dependency. A bond that is never meant to be broken. With this in mind, I will attempt to bring up to date on the chaos that followed the now infamous April 4 issue of the Times.

After several nasty phone calls and a couple of public displays of non-affection, Paco (several sheets to the wind) entered the business offices of the Hazelnut Valley Times. He appeared to be there for some kind of spaghetti western show down.He demanded an immediate retraction and full public apology (at least we think that's what he said!). The Witchazel bassist also threatened us with a law suit. Our editor and cheif, Perry Finkleweather, was about ready to agree to the terms. It is the cummulative opinion of the remainder of the staff that Perry was agreeing to this just to be rid of the "drunken madman". Unfortunately, one beer later, Paco "whipped it out" and began urinating on Mr. Pinkleweather's shoes, laughing hysterically the whole time!

At this time neither side has decided what actions, legal or other, to take. The lines of communication remain tightly sealed closed. I don't expect to get an order to write a retraction any time soon. All I can tell you is that Witchazel will be playing their next show with all four members, and I will most likely be there recording the events for the next issue of the times.

~Butch Magillicutty~

Other Headlines

Metallica Charge Copyright Infringement In Lawsuit Against Napster

Claiming that MP3 traders have the "moral fiber of common looters," Metallica sued unnamed users of the Napster MP3-trading program, along with the Napster company and three universities Thursday (April 13), claiming copyright infringement.

The lawsuit seeks damages of up to $100,000 per illegally traded song, as well as a permanent injunction against the phenomenally popular Napster software.

Trading music without the permission of the copyright holder is "morally and legally wrong," the hard-rock band's drummer, Lars Ulrich, said in a press release.

Napster, made by a San Mateo, Calif., company of the same name, streamlines the process of exchanging near-CD-quality MP3 files. The program has taken the online-music community by storm; at any given time, hundreds of thousands of songs from Metallica to jazz great John Coltrane to country star Garth Brooks to classical composer Ludwig van Beethoven are available for downloading.

The sole purpose of Napster, the band alleges in its suit, is to abet and encourage music piracy. It goes on to say that colleges that could stop the program instead allow it to flourish online.

"The last link in the chain are the end users of these stolen music works, students of these universities and others who exhibit the moral fiber of common looters loading up shopping carts because 'everybody else is doing it,' " the suit says.

Napster, Metallica Fans Baffled By Suit

Representatives for Napster could not be reached for comment. Yale University, the University of Southern California and Indiana University are also named in the lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

The band promises in the suit to amend its case with the names of additional offending universities, as well as students at the schools who have used Napster to trade Metallica songs.

"This is just not the way to go," said Chad Paulson, an Indiana University sophomore who spearheaded a nationwide petition to keep schools from banning Napster.

Comparing Napster users to looters "is a pretty intense thing to say," said Nick Henning, an IU freshman who described himself as both a Napster user and a Metallica fan.

"I understand where they're coming from, but at some point when they were getting started, they just wanted to get their music out there. The MP3 format is one easy way to do that," Henning said.

The suit also invokes racketeering laws best known for prosecuting members of the Mafia. It alleges that Napster, the schools and students are colluding to engage in piracy, and in the process are harming the band's business.

"We take our craft — whether it be the music, the lyrics, or the photos and artwork — very seriously, as do most artists," Ulrich said in his statement. "It is therefore sickening to know that our art is being traded like a commodity rather than the art that it is."