What is U2start doing to fix this?
We are exploring various possibilities like using a private server as an alternative to free services (maybe with an optional membership). But until then, we are busy mirroring our most popular bootlegs to Mediafire so that the most popular stuff remains available for you, for free.
In a few hours we will also display messages on various bootleg pages stating that links are unavailable. We have it all indexed, every night all links are verified.
What can I do?
We will quickly open a 'Reupload the U2start bootlegs' thread with more information on this. This mainly focusses on reuploading bootlegs to other websites. You can also help us by contacting Rapidshare. See more on the next item.
Update: The mentioned thread: http://www.u2start.com/topic/5832/
Please contact Rapidshare
I have personally been in contact with Rapidshare for a few months now. I have been very busy with trying to explain that all we do is completely legal, but all they do is listen to local German copyright agencies who don't seem to verify reports. What you can do is the following:
a) Compose a new e-mail and send it to:
support@rapidshare.com AND
abuse@rapidshare.com
b) The subject of your e-mail: The removal of U2start legal bootlegs
c) The content of your e-mail:
Dear sir/madam,
I am an active member of U2start.com, a website made by and for fans of the music band U2. This site offers downloads of U2 concerts, recorded by volunteers all over the world. These recordings are absolutely legal. U2 is the copyright holder of this music and they have given U2start (and other U2 websites) permission to share this material, as long as no one makes money out of it. One source of this is:
http://tobyinkster.co.uk/Documents/bootlegs/ver4.1/alt-music-bootlegs-faq-ch1.html
Point 1-5 "Which bands allow taping".
The last few weeks Rapidshare seems to be working on removing hundreds of recordings that thousands of U2 fans download every month. Many U2 fans have become Rapidshare premium members and will stop being one if this goes on. U2start will then stop using Rapidshare.
Examples of recently removed bootlegs (of which some can still be restored by you!):
http://rapidshare.com/files/8991322/1993-08-24_Cork_1.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/8936263/1992-11-10_San_Diego_1.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/2939434/1992-05-24_-_Vienna__Austria_-_Donauinsel__Part1_.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/753109/1985-05-02_Tampa_2.rar
I sincerely ask you to reconsider removing all these concerts and ask you to be an honest download service that doesn't delete stuff after receiving reports by other parties than the copyright holders.
Kind regards,
Your name
If you are a premium member, please insert this below "which bands allow taping":
I am a premium member of Rapidshare (member number XXXXX) and the reason I've become a premium member are the U2 music recordings. Me and other U2 fans will stop being a premium member if Rapidshare continues to remove legal material from their servers.
I will also telephone their support team first thing tomorrow. Thank you!
