R.E.M., Death Cab for Cutie, Boots Riley of The Coup and many other musicians and independent record labels are joining a nationwide campaign to recruit thousands of artists to support the fight for net neutrality. “Rock the Net” is being organized by the Future of Music Coalition, Noise Pop, and Zeitgeist Artist Management.

“Four years ago we got 4,000 musicians to sign on to the battle against radio consolidation. With Rock the Net, we intend to get thousands of the nation’s musicians, independent labels and music services to become part of the effort to keep a ‘payola’ system from being established on the Internet,” said Jenny Toomey, executive director of the Future of Music Coalition. “This will be the largest coalition of musicians for net neutrality in the country.”

Rep. Edward J. Markey, D-Mass., will be a featured speaker at the kick-offteleconference for Rock the Net on Tuesday, March 27, 2007 at 11 a.m. Markey is Chair of the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, and a long-time champion of net neutrality. Markey will be joined by musician Ted Leo, CD Baby founder Derek Sivers, Future of Music Coalition Executive Director Jenny Toomey, Future of Music Coalition Policy Director Michael Bracy and others. Press Conference details are listed below. Please R.S.V.P.

There are more than two-dozen founding members of the Rock the Net campaign including the Kronos Quartet, Sarah McLachlan, The Wrens, OK Go, Death Cab for Cutie and the Barenaked Ladies. Rock the Net will launch a website (http://www.futureofmusic.org/rockthenet/) on March 27 that will allow other musicians, independent record labels and music fans to sign onto the campaign and take action to support net neutrality. Bands and fans will also be able to track Rock the Net events around the country with an interactive map.

Net neutrality is the idea that all websites and services should be equally accessible on the Internet. Some Internet service providers have proposed charging a fee to Internet content providers to make their sites load faster. Rock the Net believes such a move could make it harder for fans to access the vibrant array of musical offerings now available online.

The kick-off press conference is being held in conjunction with Ted Leo’s March 29 concert at Washington, DC’s 9:30 Club. Rock the Net is underwritten by Proteus Fund’s Media Democracy Fund.

The kick off press conference:

Who: 

Rep. Edward J. Markey, D-Mass and Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet
Ted Leo, musician
Jenny Toomey, Executive Director, Future of Music Coalition
Michael Bracy, Policy Director, Future of Music Coalition
Derek Sivers, founder of CD Baby, an online store for independent artists

When: Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Time:  11:00 AM ET

Dial-In: 1-800-895-0198. The conference code is “rock.” Please call-in 15 minutes before the press conference is scheduled to begin. A copy of the media advisory is also available at: http://www.futureofmusic.org/news/MArockthenet07.cfm

Additional Info: Please RSVP to justin [at] futureofmusic [dot] org

Here’s a complete list of Rock the Net’s founding bands:

R.E.M.
Stone Gossard (Pearl Jam)
Ted LeoBoots Riley
Barenaked Ladies
Sarah McLachlan
Death Cab for Cutie
OK Go
Bob Mould
Calexico
Kathleen Hanna
The Donnas
Jerry Harrison
John Doe
Les Claypool
Kronos Quartet
Jimmy Tamborello
Street to Nowhere
The Locust
Rogue Wave
Guster
State Radio
Matt Wertz
Griffin House
Matt Nathanson
The Wrens

About Rock the Net Organizers:

Future of Music Coalition

FMC is a national nonprofit education, research and advocacy organization that identifies, examines, interprets and translates the challenging issues at the intersection of music, law, technology and policy. FMC achieves this through continuous interaction with musicians and through collaborations with other creator/citizen groups.

Noise Pop

Dubbed as “San Francisco’s most awesomest annual music festival” by Fader magazine, the Noise Pop Music Festival is a torchbearer of noisy indie pop that has been around for fifteen years. The 2007 Noise Pop, which ran from February 27-March 4, featured performances by Sebadoh, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, John Vanderslice, Jolie Holland, Cake, The Donnas, and many others. The Festival also included a film series, a record fair, and a poster show.

Zeitgeist Artist Management

Formed in 1999, with offices in San Francisco and New York, Zeitgeist focuses on cultivating long-term careers for independently minded artists. The company’s roster includes Death Cab for Cutie, the Postal Service, Matt Nathanson, Rogue Wave, Smoosh, Feist, Rogue Wave, Street To Nowhere, and producer Jimmy Tamborello and his electronic projects DNTEL and James Figurine.