GAMA BOMB FRONTMAN RESPONDS TO U2 MANAGER'S FILE-SHARING ARTICLE ON GQ

For Irish thrashers GAMA BOMB, file-sharing has proved to be an important and recurring topic of discussion.

Having released their 2009 album, TALES FROM THE GRAVE IN SPACE, online as a completely free download, GAMA BOMB's strong feelings about file-sharing largely oppose the views of many other musicians and artists.  TALES FROM THE GRAVE IN SPACE - which remains free to download to this day - has sold just as many physical copies of the album in the short time since its release as the band's previous album has to date, indicating that the open availability of the album as a free download hasn't in fact harmed the band's sales.

PAUL McGUINNESS, manager for fellow Irish rockers U2, recently posted a lengthy article for GQ Magazine (http://j.mp/aABfPk) in which he discusses his views on the problems of file-sharing.

GAMA BOMB frontman PHILLY BYRNE has written an open letter to PAUL McGUINNESS in response to his article.  An excerpt follows:

"U2's manager Paul McGuinness' recent article is well-reasoned, well-informed and commendable in its aims - though it's crazily short-sighted.  It falls at the last hurdle when envisioning future solutions to the problems file sharing causes for the music industry, and is filled with logical blind-spots on the current state of the business.  He's got the numbers right, but the headspace is all wrong.

"To his credit, Mr McGuinness is here wading into an argument that, as he notes, often involves untold abuse for those willing to stick their oar in.  Furthermore, it's one that doesn't affect his untouchably profitable bread-and-butter, U2.  So who am I to gainsay him?

"Last year my band Gama Bomb released their third album free of cost as a download with the permission of our record company, Earache Records.  This, to my knowledge, makes us the first signed band ever to do so.

"We took this step because we personally consume music in this way and were aware our previous albums were largely being consumed as shared files.  To release another CD in the traditional way seemed futile.  Also, as a band playing a niche form of music on a small budget, we were aware of the potential PR power of such a move.  The label agreed, we did it, and that's why I feel qualified to dust off my soap box on this one."

Read the full letter on GAMA BOMB's official blog at http://j.mp/bwVH0N

TALES FROM THE GRAVE IN SPACE is still available to download for free at http://www.earache.com/gamabomb

Catch GAMA BOMB live in Europe with CROCELL at the following shows:

Sep 16 - Nijmegen, Netherlands - Merleyn
Sep 17 - Frankfurt, Germany - Effer Music Club
Sep 18 - Milan, Italy - Metal Disorder Festival
Sep 19 - Bologna, Italy - Rock Hard Festival
Sep 20 - Marseille, France - O'Bundless
Sep 21 - Bordeaux, France - Heretic Club
Sep 22 - Monzon, Spain - Serjos
Sep 23 - Benavente, Spain - Side B
Sep 24 - Madrid, Spain - Live
Sep 25 - Badalona, Spain - Estraperlo

View the "Graveyard Disturbance" European tour flyer at http://earacherecords.com/myspace/gamabomb_graveyardtour.jpg

Catch GAMA BOMB live on their first ever North American tour:

GAMA BOMB w/ EVILE, BONDED BY BLOOD
Oct 22 - Dante's - Portland, OR
Oct 23 - El Corazon - Seattle, WA
Oct 24 - Red Room - Vancouver, BC
Oct 25 - Third - Prince George, BC
Oct 26 - The Mead Hall - Edmonton, AL
Oct 27 - Exchange - Regina, SK
Oct 28 - Royal Albert Arms - Winnipeg, MB
Oct 29 - Crocks 16 South Cumberland St - Thunder Bay, ON
Oct 30 - The Rox Tavern - St Cloud, MN
Oct 31 - The Dojo - Indianapolis, IN
Nov 01 - Music Hall - London, ON
Nov 02 - Broadway Joe's - Buffalo, NY
Nov 03 - Championship Bar and Grill - Trenton, NJ

GAMA BOMB w/ FORBIDDEN, EVILE, BONDED BY BLOOD
Nov 04 - Jaxx - West Springfield, VA

GAMA BOMB w/ OVERKILL, FORBIDDEN, EVILE, BONDED BY BLOOD
Nov 05 - Montage Music Hall - Rochester, NY
Nov 06 - Crazy Donkey - Farmingdale, NY
Nov 07 - Cub Hell - Providence, RI
Nov 08 - Sonar - Baltimore, MD
Nov 09 - Canal Club - Richmond, VA
Nov 10 - Amos - Charlotte, NC
Nov 11 - Volume 11 - Raleigh, NC
Nov 12 - Hooligan - Jacksonville, NC
Nov 13 - Club Firestone - Orlando, FL
Nov 14 - Culture Room - Fort Lauderdale, FL
Nov 15 - The Masquerade - Atlanta, GA
Nov 16 - Peabody's - Cleveland, OH
Nov 17 - Newport Music Hall - Columbus, OH
Nov 18 - Diesel Nightclub - Pittsburgh, PA
Nov 19 - Rocko's - Manchester, NH
Nov 20 - Starland Ballroom - Sayreville, NJ

GAMA BOMB w/ FORBIDDEN, EVILE, BONDED BY BLOOD
Nov 22 - Foufounes Electriques - Montreal, QC
Nov 23 - MOD Club - Toronto, ON
Nov 24 - Blondies - Detroit, MI
Nov 26 - Phoenix Hill Tavern - Louisville, KY
Nov 27 - Reggie's Rock Club - Chicago, IL
Nov 28 - Rave - Milwaukee, WI
Nov 29 - Station 4 - St Paul, MN
Dec 01 - Scout Bar - San Antonio, TX
Dec 02 - Emo's Alternative Lounging - Austin, TX
Dec 03 - Scout Bar - Houston, TX
Dec 04 - Trees - Ft. Worth, TX
Dec 06 - The Rock - Tucson, AZ
Dec 07 - U.B.'s - Mesa, AZ
Dec 08 - Whiskey a Go Go - West Hollyood, CA
Dec 09 - Ramona Mainstage - Ramona, CA
Dec 10 - New Oasis - Sparks, NV
Dec 11 - DNA Lounge - San Francisco, CA

GAMA BOMB w/ EVILE, BONDED BY BLOOD
Nov 21 - Mavericks - Ottawa, ON
Nov 25 - The Muse - Nashville, TN
Dec 05 - The War Legion Underground - Amarillo, TX
Dec 12 - Chain Reaction - Anaheim, CA
Dec 13 - Cheyenne Saloon - Las Vegas, NV

GAMA BOMB w/ DRI, EVILE
Dec 15 - Gator's - Farmington, NM
Dec 16 - Club 21 - Pueblo, CO
Dec 17 - Bluebird Theatre - Denver, CO
Dec 18 - Club Vegas - Salt Lake City, UT

TALES FROM THE GRAVE IN SPACE is also available worldwide on limited edition CD with a bonus 5-track EP, as well as limited edition vinyl and a special low price CD.  Get your copy in Europe at http://earache.com/webstore/index.php/cPath/667_670_50 or in North America at http://earache.com/uswebstore/index.php/cPath/667_670_50

For more GAMA BOMB news and info, head to http://www.myspace.com/gamabomb


UK AND EUROPEAN PRESS MANAGER - TALITA
talita@earache.com
London office phone: +44(0)207 240 5002

USA PRESS MANAGER - ANTHONY
usapr@earache.com
NYC office phone: +1(718)786 1707