U.K. anarchists Chumbawamba have sampled his band Metallica, along with other file sharing opponents Eminem, Dr. Dre and Madonna, without permission for a song that makes a bold, if legally dubious, statement, "Pass it Along [MP3 mix]."
The British group, perhaps best known for its 1997 hit "Tubthumping," has made the tune available from its official website (chumba.com) and is encouraging people to download it and, as the title suggests, pass it along.
The song is built around the riff from Metallica's "Enter Sandman," and also features clips lifted from that band's Lars Ulrich speaking out on the Napster controversy. Other well-placed samples include the main jingle from Eminem's "Real Slim Shady," Elvis Presley singing "it's one for the money" from the classic "Blue Suede Shoes," and John Lennon singing "the best things in life are free" from the Beatles' version of "Money."
Spoken-word commentary is also added courtesy cultural upstarts Jello Biafra and Noam Chomsky, among others. One clip urges listeners to participate in the process, instructing them to "send this song to 20 people."
"Pass It Along (MP3 mix)" was created as "a reaction to the hokum that opposing file sharing is somehow linked to artistic integrity," according to a statement by a spokesperson for Chumbawamba.
