Trent Reznor Encourages Illegal Downloading, Smashing Pumpkins Add Dates, Gwen Stefan
 

• Trent Reznor, still angry that his record label continues to price Year Zero CDs in Australia for roughly the same amount it costs Americans to buy actual CD players, that he gives them his blessing to steal his music, either by means of five-finger discount or illegal downloading. Similarly, Reznor told fans in Beijing to just download the tracks rather than buying pirated albums. “My record label all around the world hates me,” Reznor said with great pride to concertgoers in Sydney.

• Perhaps in response to Reznors “steal my music” claim, Spiralfrog, the ad-supported free digital music service, will finally launch today after months of testing. The service will pay record companies a portion of the ad revenues in exchange for the free access to their libraries. The service is not available to Apple users, so Mac users abroad looking for Year Zero should Google the word “Soulseek.”

• VH1s music-videos-plus-trivia show Pop Up Video will make its long awaited return … but only on cell phones. Pop Up Video To Go will debut exclusively on VH1s mobile network with songs from Gwen Stefani and Fall Out Boy.

• Timbaland will have some help reviving Celine Dions post-Vegas career. Ben Moody and David Hodges, who both left the band Evanescence after the Grammy-winning success of their major label debut Fallen, will pen and produce the song “This Time” for the French-Canadian songstress.

• The Smashing Pumpkins have extended their reunion tour by four dates. Check the new shows after the jump.

Smashing Pumpkins tour dates:
October 23: Philadelphia, PA - Tower Theatre
November 2: Austin, TX - The Backyard
November 7: Athens, GA - Classic Center Theatre
November 8: Greensboro, NC – War Memorial Auditorium


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