October 14, 2009 14:32

Edwyn Collins' manager lambasts major labels – again

Grace Maxwell posts blog update on the dispute surrounding 'A Girl Like You'

Edwyn Collins' manager and wife Grace Maxwell has followed up her criticism of MySpace and major labels over their treatment of Collins' 1994 single 'A Girl Like You'.

As previously reported, Maxwell was angry that MySpace wouldn't allow Collins to offer the song as a free download on the site, despite him owning the copyright for it. She also blasted the major label Warner Music Group for selling the track online without permission.

Now, Maxwell has explained on her blog at Edwyncollins.com that MySpace have allowed the track to be streamed online.

"After 30 odd fruitless emails, 'A Girl Like You' is now available in full on the MySpace player!" wrote Maxwell, though she made her feelings on the situation clear by stating: "So, today's lesson is simple: the most powerful department in any organisation is the press office. The whole sad world runs scared of bad publicity, especially from a righteous source like Edwyn Collins."

Maxwell added that she is now even less trusting of major labels like Warner Music Group, who she says are "still corporately arrogant enough to steal Edwyn's copyright" by selling 'A Girl Like You' unlawfully.

She goes on to state that she would be willing to stand as a witness against any major record label in future copyright infringement trials.

"A guy from MySpace advised me to treat their [Warner Music Group] copyright department with kid gloves if I wanted a result. It didn't work. If the shoe was on the other foot they'd have been down on us like a ton of bricks. The next time a major tries to take ANYONE to court for copyright infringement, I'm volunteering my services as a witness for the defence."

Elsewhere in the blog, Maxwell said that her recent struggles with the music business have left her feeling angry about the industry in general, though she added that she won't let it bring her or Collins – who suffered a major cerebral haemorrhage in 2005 – down in the future.

"Edwyn and I are loving our life together since he has pushed back the shades of illness and I'm not about to let some old music business nonsense get in the way of that," she exclaimed.