Onödigt livsviktig fakta?
What does E think of file-sharing?
and would he frown if I downloaded some b-sides or bootlegs?
In E's own words: "Hush, my child. Don't you worry. There is no EELS HELL other than the one we already live in everyday. [File sharing] is fine with me. We don't make much money, anyway. I'm just glad someone is listening, and we do our best to keep the rent paid without being total whores."
Typically, you can assume that a professional would rather earn a living doing what he's doing than losing money doing it. So basically, buy the albums. It puts food in E's mouth.
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Is it true that E was an unwitting pawn in George W. Bush's assault on American liberties?
True, true! During his campaign for the 2000 Presidential election, George W. Bush used the Eels' Daisies Of The Galaxy as an example of how "wrong and corrupt" "Hollywood" has become. He targeted the album for its cover, depicting schoolchildren and little dogs, with colorful, appealing art, insisting it was targeting children despite the album's tracks containing profanity (including, rather glaringly, "It's A Motherfucker") and adult themes.
It's widely believed among the more political-savvy Eels fans that poor little E was hung out to dry, not because of the album or its contents, but rather because it was given away at a Democratic fundraiser for Bush opponent Al Gore. The fundraiser was thrown by Democratic supporter Dave Geffen, founder of Dreamworks SKG (the label where the Eels then resided), who generously gave copies of several Dreamworks artists' albums to all in attendence.
So yes, E was a pawn in George W. Bush's assault on American liberties.
And E's response to the incident?
Four years later, on the floor of the United States Senate, Vice President Dick Cheney was heard to say to Senator Patrick Leahy "Go fuck yourself!" How charming. Not dropping a beat, the official site was quick to point out that it apparently was okay for the Republican Party to exclaim profanities on the floor of America's most sacred chamber, whereas E was to be ashamed for saying things of a similar, but hardly as harsh, nature on one of his records. Cheney explained that it may have been wrong to say "fuck", but it made him feel good. E's response? "See? It DOES feel good... Fuck him."