SONIC YOUTH - MOORE BACKS CAMPAIGN TO SAVE GUITAR WEBSITE

MOORE BACKS CAMPAIGN TO SAVE GUITAR WEBSITE

SONIC YOUTH's THURSTON MOORE is backing a campaign to save a website used by millions of aspiring rockers to learn how to play the guitar. The SUGAR KANE star wants to prevent the Guitar Tab Universe site from being closed down by America's National Music Publishers' Association (NMPA) and the Music Publishers' Association (MPA). Both organisations have written to the website's owners expressing their concern that sharing tablatures online breaks copyright laws and asking for them to be removed. Guitar Tab Universe boss ROB BALCH has refused to comply, leading to the NMPA and the MPA to contact the website's internet service provider. But Moore has thrown his weight behind Balch's stance. On the website's homepage, Moore writes, "So lots of respect for all you boys and girls out there who tab out songs like all the time. You bring rock and roll music closer to the people." A spokesman for the NMPA says, "We will take all appropriate steps to remove unauthorised sheet music and tablature versions from the internet that do not respect the rights of songwriters, especially those who flagrantly violate our copyrighted works to profit for themselves."