Megaupload's Kim Dotcom to record album while on bail

GlobalPost

Kim Dotcom, one of the founders of Megaupload charged by US authorities with copyright theft, is preparing to release a music album.

He was granted permission today to leave his property in New Zealand, to which he is confined as part of the conditions of his bail, in order to work on the album in a recording studio, Stuff.co.nz reported.

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Prior to that he had been recording in his kitchen, according to the New Zealand Herald, whose reporter visited the Dotcom family home.

Sample lyrics apparently include "Sleep all day, party all night / Have whatever you want, whenever you like," and "You don't need no copyright to dance."

"This is going to be number one around the world," said Dotcom himself, whose singing voice is described as "accented" (his first language is German). File-sharing news blog TorrentFreak, which says Dotcom "has been honing his skills as a musician for some time," claims to have been given a sneak preview of the tracks; "we liked what we heard," its report said.

He has the backing of Printz Board, the Black Eyed Peas' musical director, who is overseeing production of the album and helping to promote it while Dotcom awaits extradition to the US.

The album also features guest appearances from "several international artists," according to Stuff.

Dotcom will have to ask permission to visit the studio 24 hours in advance and send photographic evidence that's where he went, according to the terms set out by a district court judge.

He's also allowed to use a swimming pool and, after three months offline, to access the internet.

Ironically, given that Dotcom is accused of making millions by facilitating the free download of copyrighted material, his lawyer insisted that he should be allowed to finish and release the album as part of his human right to make revenue.

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