Elton John: 'Close Down the Internet!'

[nivi]

http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2007350453,00.html

POP legend Sir Elton John wants the internet CLOSED DOWN.

Never one to keep his opinions to himself, the Rocket Man has waded into cyberspace with all guns blazing.

He claims it is destroying good music, saying: “The internet has stopped people from going out and being with each other, creating stuff.

“Instead they sit at home and make their own records, which is sometimes OK but it doesn’t bode well for long-term artistic vision.

“It’s just a means to an end.

“We’re talking about things that are going to change the world and change the way people listen to music and that’s not going to happen with people blogging on the internet.

“I mean, get out there — communicate.

“Hopefully the next movement in music will tear down the internet.

“Let’s get out in the streets and march and protest instead of sitting at home and blogging.

“I do think it would be an incredible experiment to shut down the whole internet for five years and see what sort of art is produced over that span.

“There’s too much technology available.

“I’m sure, as far as music goes, it would be much more interesting than it is today.”

Multi-millionaire Elton, who turned 60 earlier this year, has admitted in the past that he is a bit behind the times. The Grammy award-winner was once quoted as saying: “I am the biggest technophobe of all time.

“I don’t have a mobile phone or an iPod or anything.

“I am such a Luddite when it comes to making music. All I can do is write at the piano.”

Sales of Elton’s last album The Captain & The Kid were disappointing — it barely shifted 100,000 copies. And in the past Sir Elt has opposed illegal downloading of his music from the net.

But the flamboyant singer has embraced the web in other ways.

The 60th birthday concert Sir Elton played to a 20,000-strong crowd at New York’s Madison Square Garden was streamed live over the internet.

The singer also announced earlier this year that his entire back catalogue of albums would be made available for digital download.
...

Sure, lets just hit that siwtch from on to off and there goes the internet.

 

[Tee Kay]

A common case of Argghhh-Modern-Technology-Is-Corrupt-Tool-Of-The-Devil Syndrome.

 

[Mr. Dictator]

lol, elton john's opinions.

 

[Stapel]

From Grammy award winner to Granny award winner!

 

[sysyphus]

I wonder if Sir Elton would feel the same were he not already a member of the musical aristocracy.

 

[Winner]

Why should we care about his opinion? It is about as important as my today's breakfast.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

 

[sysyphus]

Why should we care about his opinion? It is about as important as my today's breakfast.

So tell us then, what did you have? Maybe it's something I would like to try.

 

[Mirc]

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

Elton John can also be the most important meal of the day. I heard his muscles are tasty, but only if you don't use a microwave oven.

 

[skadistic]

I wonder if Sir Elton would feel the same were he not already a member of the musical aristocracy.

If he was a noob he'd be singing a much different tune getting his music out any way he could.

 

[downtown]

I wonder if Sir Elton would feel the same were he not already a member of the musical aristocracy.

Thats a good point.
Actually, I agree with Elton on a few of those things (not every musical innovation the internet was brought has been wonderful)...but I'm not about to advocate removing it.

 

[Che Guava]

As if we needed more proof that Elton is past his prime.....sigh......

The singer also announced earlier this year that his entire back catalogue of albums would be made available for digital download.

Yes, let's protest in the streets! I'll tka ethe new car that was paid for by my downloads....

 

[Volum]

From Grammy award winner to Granny award winner!

That was was so awful it actually made me

But seriously, who takes it seriously?

 

[sysyphus]

Thats a good point.
Actually, I agree with Elton on a few of those things (not every musical innovation the internet was brought has been wonderful)...but I'm not about to advocate removing it.

Indeed it hasn't, there has not been a wave of shining new creative ideas and in fact there is alot of garbage.

Nonetheless there have been massive upsides, not least: internet radio. I can't tell you how emancipating it has been for me to be free of the chains of commercial radio. I can listen to forms of music now that were simply not available to me before.

 

[Erik Mesoy]

ROTFLMAO is a good point to start at for describing this.

"...it would be an incredible experiment to shut down the whole internet for five years..."

You can't. You absolutely, practically cannot do this. There is no force on Earth that could do this, I think. Even if you somehow got ICANN and every government co cooperate, there are hackers running their own servers on their own computers in their own homes in any number of countries, with wireless connections, or sitting on the phone line - you'd have to seize their computers. And for everyone left with a computer, they'd still want to be able to exchange data, which is how the Internet got started in the first place. Will you make them use USB sticks?

This is ignorance on the level of "it would be fun to send a spaceship made of paint to paint the sky red" - it does not work that way - , and it irks me that he mouths off this way with such a complete failure to comprehend the nature of the Internet.

 

[Winner]

So tell us then, what did you have? Maybe it's something I would like to try.

Coffee and... nothing, actually

 

[C~G]

“I do think it would be an incredible experiment to shut down the whole internet for five years and see what sort of art is produced over that span.

“There’s too much technology available.

“I’m sure, as far as music goes, it would be much more interesting than it is today.”

Apart from issue how difficult it would be shut down the internet.

He doesn't understand that new technology allows tools to be more creative than ever before and it gives access to new groups of people to get involved with music and other arts.

But apparently maybe his songs aren't as appreciated any more so he feels sad.

Maybe we should all feel bad for him as he is getting old, sad and grumpy. And apparently also un-creative...

 

[Princeps]

And make sure you'll close down both internets!

 

[TheBoatman]

Close down Elton John.

Seems that sir has forgotten that's always about people using the technology. People who waste their time or commit crimes can do it as well on the Internet as in a pub.

 

[Winner]

Apart from issue how difficult it would be shut down the internet.

He doesn't understand that new technology allows tools to be more creative than ever before and it gives access to new groups of people to get involved with music and other arts.

But apparently maybe his songs aren't as appreciated any more so he feels sad.

Maybe we should all feel bad for him as he is getting old, sad and grumpy. And apparently also un-creative...

Perhaps he's just pissed off because people illegaly download his songs and he's not getting the money

Well, if he really wants to shut down internet, he should buy a Russian ICBM with multi-megation warhead and detonate it few hundred kilometers above the US. The resulting EMP would effectively shut down the entire network, since large number of servers are located in the US.