Fair Use: The Story of the Letter U and the Numeral 2

In 1991, Negativland's infamous U2 single was sued out of existence for trademark & copyright infringement. In 1992, Negativeland's magazine-plus-CD THE LETTER U & THE NUMERAL 2 was sued out of existence for trying to tell the story of the first lawsuit. in 1995, Negativland releases FAIR USE: THE STORY OF THE LETTER U & THE NUMERAL 2, a new album with a 288-page book telling the story of both lawsuits & the fight for the right to make new art out of corporately "owned" culture. This overwhelming (& very funny) release takes you deep inside Negativland's legal & artistic odyssey for an unusual examination of the ironic absurdities that ensue when corporate commerce, contemporary art, & pre-electronic law collide over one 13-minute recording. The progression of documents, events & results appears chronologically, including the entire suppressed magazine, much more that has happened since then in this modern saga of criminal music & a definitive Appendix of legal & artistic references. The CD contains a new 45-minute Negativland album, which is both about creative appropriation & an extensive example of it, plus a 26-minute "review" of the U.S. Copyright Act.… (more)