CaM:A track removal context & commentary

2 files changed, 101 insertions, 0 deletions

diff --git a/album/coloUrs-and-mayhem-universe-a.yaml b/album/coloUrs-and-mayhem-universe-a.yaml
index b2cf04a6..0e83e7fd 100644
--- a/album/coloUrs-and-mayhem-universe-a.yaml
+++ b/album/coloUrs-and-mayhem-universe-a.yaml
@@ -374,6 +374,7 @@ Additional Names:
 - Mechanix (contest-submitted name, normalized)
 Artists:
 - Rachel Rose Mitchell
+Date First Released: May 14, 2012
 Duration: '4:42'
 Color: '#487aef'
 URLs:
@@ -383,12 +384,45 @@ Cover Artists:
 Cover Art File Extension: png
 Art Tags:
 - The Expatriate
+Commentary: |-
+    <i>Quasar Nebula:</i> (wiki editor)
+
+    This track and [[track:purple-tyrant]] weren't initially included on coloUrs and mayhem - two plagiarized tracks (by an unrelated contest entrant) were in their place. [[track:purple-tyrant|See Purple Tyrant for details.]]
+
+    Moreover, by [[artist:rachel-rose-mitchell|Rachel Rose Mitchell's]] own request, around December 22, 2021, the *new* version of this track, as well as [[track:temporal-shenanigans]], were both removed from Bandcamp (the only platform where Homestuck's discography was officially published). This was in light of Sarah Z's video [Homestuck Sent Me A Legal Threat, And Then It Got Worse](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsM9bQvpt_c); on YouTube, Rachel updated the thumbnails, titles, and descriptions of Indigo Archer and Temporal Shenanigans to direct visitors to Sarah Z's video.
+
+    <i>Rachel Rose Mitchell:</i> ([YouTube description](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3F0S20HUuNA))
+
+    hey please watch sarah's video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsM9bQvpt_c
+
+    <i>Rachel Rose Mitchell:</i> ([YouTube comments](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3F0S20HUuNA&lc=UgxZ97RH4TQIqMphFAd4AaABAg))
+
+    > Bro, no one cares about the legal shit with Homestuck. I just want the music.
+
+    bro that’s such an interesting take bro i sure will consider that bro
+
+    > Just confused as to why people care about a side of the story so much. Sure, it's shitty, but is that supposed to change my opinion of the work?
+
+    many people do care, and i'm entitled to use my own content how i see fit lol. not everyone's mindset mirrors your own
+
+    <i>Rachel Rose Mitchell:</i> ([YouTube comments](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3F0S20HUuNA&lc=UgyOBuJP7sB3WWgK04t4AaABAg))
+
+    > Weren't this and Purple Tyrant like, stolen or something? They're still listed as free on the Homestuck Bandcamp page of coloUrs and mayhem: Universe A.
+
+    This and the version of [[Purple Tyrant]] that's currently available are replacements for the plagiarised tracks.
+
+    <i>Rachel Rose Mitchell:</i> ([YouTube comments](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3F0S20HUuNA&lc=UgyOBuJP7sB3WWgK04t4AaABAg))
+
+    > Where did those "replacements" go? They're no longer on the Bandcamp album ["coloUrs and mayhem: Universe A & B"](https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/album/colours-and-mayhem-universe-a-b).
+
+    I had my music removed from the Homestuck soundtrack, sorry for any inconvenience.
 ---
 Track: Purple Tyrant
 Additional Names:
 - VS Gamzee (contest-submitted name)
 Artists:
 - Kevin Grant
+Date First Released: May 14, 2012
 Duration: '3:50'
 Color: '#a34bff'
 URLs:
@@ -410,6 +444,42 @@ MIDI Project Files:
 - Title: MIDI by Makogeddon (piano)
   Files:
   - 'Purple Tyrant - Makogeddon (piano).mid'
+Commentary: |-
+    <i>Quasar Nebula:</i> (wiki editor)
+
+    This track and [[track:indigo-archer]] weren't initially included on coloUrs and mayhem - different tracks were in their place. They were both found to be to be plagiarized from Frozen Synapse's soundtrack, and were removed from the album [the day after it released](https://web.archive.org/web/20150114103237/http://fwugradiation.tumblr.com/post/20394523143/frozen-synapse-and-indigo-archer). ([See also this Penny Arcade thread.](https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/157658/mspa-horse-proposal-week-everyone-post-your-fanyetis/p66))
+
+    Although the tracks were removed promptly, replacements (by unrelated artists) didn't show on the album til over a month later, on May 14. (The release was certainly between [May 11](https://web.archive.org/web/20120511201244/https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/album/colours-and-mayhem-universe-a) and [May 16](https://web.archive.org/web/20120516233943/http://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/indigo-archer); May 14 was initially ascertained from the HTTP metadata for [this capture of Indigo Archer's artwork](https://web.archive.org/web/20160412163142im_/http://f4.bcbits.com/img/a1546705741_16.jpg), and ratified by [this Penny Arcade post](https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/159306/mspa-toda-reads-scott-pilgrim/p77#Comment_23094351).)
+
+    <i>Toby Fox:</i> (contest management, [Tumblr](https://web.archive.org/web/20150114103237/http://fwugradiation.tumblr.com/post/20394523143/frozen-synapse-and-indigo-archer))
+
+    <b>Frozen Synapse and Indigo Archer</b>
+
+    Apparently the song [[Indigo Archer]] was plagiarized from this source. *([dead YouTube link](https://web.archive.org/web/20141013014150/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GX-lHqvKo8s))*
+
+    It and Purple Tyrant (same entrant) have been removed from the album.
+
+    My deepest apologies - neither I, nor [[artist:andrew-hussie|Andrew]], nor the music team recognized the songs as being stolen from a different source. There is simply too much music out there in the world, and it is impossible to listen to it all. Sorry again, and thank you to everyone who alerted us as fast as possible.
+
+    Suitable replacements for those tracks will be sought out in the future.
+
+    For those wondering, the legal holdups we were having <em>weren’t</em> about sampling or song sources.
+
+    <i>phonebox:</i> ([MusicBrainz album annotation](https://musicbrainz.org/edit/54390001), excerpt)
+
+    The original tracks 10 and 11 were almost identical copies of tracks on Frozen Synapse Original Soundtrack. Indigo Archer sounds like ["Switch"](https://nervoustestpilot.bandcamp.com/track/switch) and Purple Tyrant sounds like ["A Functioning God"](https://nervoustestpilot.bandcamp.com/track/a-functioning-god).
+
+    <b>How similar are the tracks exactly?</b> They are the same length and sound identical. Audacity or a similar program can be used to invert one of the Frozen Synapse tracks and to try to find out how a copied track was edited. The parts which are exactly the same will turn into silence. Using this method and adding an amplify effect with a value of -1.363 dB to the original Frozen Synapse tracks (or +1.363 dB to the copies), the end result is as follows: in both Indigo Archer and Purple Tyrant the only sounds which were left are electric cracks and creaks. They appear mostly rhythmically with the bassline of the beats. Probably the only part where the added creaking can be clearly heard without having to do editing is in the Purple Tyrant track at 2:30. Elsewhere the the cracks are lost in the beats.
+
+    <i>Toby Fox:</i> (contest management, [Tumblr](https://web.archive.org/web/20150114103238/http://fwugradiation.tumblr.com/post/20395391831/source-of-what-was-once-purple-tyrant-by-paul))
+
+    Source of what was once “Purple Tyrant” by [Paul Taylor, aka nervous_testpilot](https://nervoustestpilot.bandcamp.com).
+
+    Really fabulous and ominous track. This whole soundtrack is great!!! [Go buy it if you like what you hear](https://web.archive.org/web/20150123215119/http://www.frozensynapse.com/soundtrack.html).
+
+    <i>Quasar Nebula:</i> (wiki editor)
+
+    [Frozen Synapse: Original Soundtrack](https://nervoustestpilot.bandcamp.com/album/frozen-synapse-original-soundtrack) is still available on Bandcamp.
 ---
 Track: Violet Mariner
 Additional Names:
@@ -942,3 +1012,33 @@ MIDI Project Files:
 - Title: MIDI by Unknown
   Files:
   - 'Temporal Shenanigans - Unknown.mid'
+Commentary: |-
+    <i>Quasar Nebula:</i> (wiki editor)
+
+    By [[artist:rachel-rose-mitchell|Rachel Rose Mitchell's]] own request, this track and [[track:indigo-archer]] were both removed from Bandcamp around December 22, 2021. [[track:indigo-archer|See Indigo Archer for details.]]
+
+    <i>Rachel Rose Mitchell:</i> ([YouTube description](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gO2SMV0lY3U))
+
+    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsM9bQvpt_c<br>
+    please watch sarah z's video about what pumpkin's reaction to her initial homestuck video
+
+    <i>Rachel Rose Mitchell:</i> ([YouTube comment](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gO2SMV0lY3U&lc=UgzHhe2tcgRHmPrl5XF4AaABAg))
+
+    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsM9bQvpt_c<br>
+    hey please watch sarah z's video about the homestuck situation!
+
+    <i>Rachel Rose Mitchell:</i> ([YouTube comments](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gO2SMV0lY3U&lc=UgzZ9GoJJb2l4sSPX094AaABAg))
+
+    > Hey hey hey, after the end of all this controversy the Thumbnail will go back to normal, right?
+
+    idk, the main reason i'm even keeping the videos up is someone else would probably upload them if i take them down, and this way i have a little control, but i'm still uncomfortable with the association tbh
+
+    > oh ok, sorry if... the question was kinda mean, ok?
+
+    nah you're good, you didn't seem mean at all! have a good one
+
+    <i>Rachel Rose Mitchell:</i> ([YouTube comments](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gO2SMV0lY3U&lc=UgyvWjnecqgUtnxwxEl4AaABAg))
+
+    > I know you feel it is important but please do not retrofit older videos into vehicles to spread a message. At best its annoying and more likely to make me blacklist the video you're trying to get me to watch so I never watch it
+
+    im gonna go ahead and keep doing the thing
diff --git a/static-page/changelog.yaml b/static-page/changelog.yaml
index 1c5fb00b..f0956ffa 100644
--- a/static-page/changelog.yaml
+++ b/static-page/changelog.yaml
@@ -186,6 +186,7 @@ Content: |-
     - added full-size art to the covers of [[album:skies-forever-blue]], [[album:sburb-funkin-edition-ost]], [[album:rappets-davekat-collection]], and [[album:the-rebornening]] (thanks, Niklink!)
     - added additional files to [[album:s-press-play]] (thanks, Niklink!)
     - added additional file of logo-less cover art to [[album:sburb-funkin-edition-ost]] (thanks, Jebb!)
+    - added commentary and context for removals across [[track:indigo-archer]], [[track:purple-tyrant]], and [[track:temporal-shenanigans]]
     - added Discord liveblog commentary (featuring various community members) to [[artist:jebb|Jebb's]] tracks on [[album:lofam5a2]] (thanks, Jebb!)
     - added track art anthology commentary across [[album-commentary:homestuck-vol-5]]:
         - added commentary from [[artist:cityinthesea]] to [[track:savior-of-the-waking-world]] and [[track:an-unbreakable-union]]