The George Lucas Prequel Edition (Bring On The Cease And Desist!)

We began recording this cassette in November 2010, just three months after we formed. Until recently, we didn't think we would ever finish it. But thanks to some encouragement from some people around us, we've changed our minds. You can listen and download the tracks for free here.

Where We Got The Name - The George Lucas Prequel Edition

I used to live in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It’s like Texas in a lot of ways, most notably in the pride people have for their state. Despite the fact almost nobody has a job there, it does have a few things going for it. Beaches? Love them. Craft beer? Everybody’s got the spins. And music? They'll tell you it's unlike anywhere else.

Sure, there’s the history. Motown, the one-two punch of Stooges and MC5, Grand Funk Railroad, Bob Seger, and so on. Michiganders are into claiming those guys as their own. But with equal pride, the locals will gush about the homegrown underground bands. And a lot of them deserve the praise. Seriously. Look up some of these names: Small Brown Bike, Rescue, Breathe Owl Breathe, Freshman Rhetoric, North Lincoln, Bunkbed Nights, Anathallo, The Skies Revolt, Brothers, etc. They love these bands. And I mean adore them.

It shouldn’t surprise you then when I say good underground music begat good independent record labels. Rescue's label, Dead Droid Records, called Grand Rapids home. One day, we heard LucasArts had sent them a cease and desist order for using the word “droid” in their name.  The label shut down almost immediately. 

I’m all for protecting intellectual property when a huge entity like LucasArts takes an idea from a little record label, or something. But when you’re a major cultural force, you have to recognize your ideas will shape ideas to come. Shakespearean plays changed the use of the English language forever. However, I doubt old William turned in his grave when Huxley wrote Brave New World, or when everybody else in the world referenced him.

First, I don’t think Dead Droid Records was trying to deceive or pull dollars from Star Wars fans. You know why? Because nearly everybody likes Star Wars. Besides, Star Wars was not without influence. I wonder if Akira Kurosawa would have hired seven samurai to protect Dead Droid from Raiders of the LucasArts.

Second, I’ve seen other evidence of cease and desist order madness, and I have to laugh at it. The band Eisley were forbidden to use their original name, “Mos Eisley,” before they were even old enough to go into a cantina. Calvin Klein once sent a C&D to Calvin College. The school simply replied, “We assure you our Calvin came first.”

And this is where my essay would have ended. Then I watched a documentary called The People vs. George Lucas.

When fans couldn't handle the disappointment of Star Wars episodes I - III, they began to make their own edits. Guys, there's a version of The Phantom Menace out there completely free of Jar Jar Binks. This movie exists.

And for some reason, Lucas has allowed this to go on.

So we had an idea.

With our "release" of The George Lucas Prequel Edition (Bring on the cease and desist!),  we're going to make the individual tracks available for people to use.

Remix it, make some mashups, have fun. Our only condition is you share what you make with us. Obviously, we can't enforce it, but I think it'll be more fun for everyone if you honor the request.