MATADOR BULLISH ON NAPSTER

The reformed netco hopes the almost unbearably hip roster of Matador Records—including Kaplan's band Yo La Tengo as well as Belle & Sebastian, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Mark Eitzel, Cornelius and Stephen Malkmus—will further entice adventurous net-music fans to pay for its subscription service, which is slated to launch in Q1 of 2002.

Matador joins a reported 5000 or so indie labels in Napster's paid-service stable, including TVT, edel and such market-share dynamos as Absolutely Kosher, Amazing Grease and Ace Fu. In June, the netco inked pacts with organizations representing indies in the U.K. and Europe (see story, 6/26). El Nap-o is also slated to offer major-label music as an affiliate of the MusicNet consortium (see story, 6/5).

Once the biggest story on the Web and boasting tens of millions of users, the company's P2P client has been sidelined by a judge's order pending the resolution of a lawsuit pressed by the major labels.

But with Bertelsmann's backing and promises of good behavior—underscored by a promise to (get this) pay the rights holders after the service launches—Nappy is hoping to build on whatever power remains in its admittedly tarnished brand.

"Napster is synonymous with music online," said Matador GM Patrick Amory. "We're impressed with their new file-sharing service and believe it will become a powerful promotional vehicle. And with thousands of tracks of kids yowling over out-of-tune guitars into a busted four-track machine now available, the sky's the limit. And no, I haven't seen Gerard Cosloy lately."

"Matador is a trend-setter in the indie community," declared Napster ruler Konrad Hilbers. "We're pleased that they and all of our other label partners have recognized the value of using the Napster file-sharing service to reach passionate music consumers. And if I may offer a suggestion, many of their releases sound much, much better after one smokes several heaping bowls of the stanky chronic."