Ex-Supreme Complains About Pirated Music

Well! Apparently, “Baby Love” is widely pirated on KaZaa, because Mary Wilson, the only Supreme who never left the group, spoke before a state House committee yesterday about how pirated music is hurting her bottom line.

Her speech was interesting, since she admitted to buying a pirated Marvin Gaye tape on the street years ago, only it wasn’t actually Marvin Gaye. This piracy was so egregious they didn’t just steal Gaye’s music, they hired a low-rent Marvin Gaye impersonator to make a CD and sell it under Gaye’s name. Wait, that would cost more money.

Wilson also apparently has a new album coming out soon.

“There is no question in my mind, that the minute the product hits the retail market, counterfeiters will be there to copy and distribute the product I worked so hard on, without compensation to me.”

How much money could Mary Wilson possibly lose to counterfeiting? Sampling I could see, I guess, but her latest CD is only available at her website. She can’t possibly be making a fortune from it.

Oh, and the legislature is considering strengthening the penalties for counterfeiting, because our jails do not currently have enough non-violent criminals in them.

Update: Actual activism-type thing here!

Former ”Supremes” Member in Philadelphia to Speak Out Against Pirated Music [KYW 1060]