Angry Mother Accuses RIAA Of Espionage, Intimidation And Stalking

Tanya J. Andersen, a disabled single mom from Beaverton, Oregon, is turning the tables on the RIAA and suing the organization for illegally spying on her. The suit claims that Andersen, one of 21,000 people who have been sued by the RIAA since 2003 for illegally downloading music, is a victim of abusive legal tactics, threats and, yes, spying. Her filing says the RIAA refused to drop its case against her even after the recording industry's own expert concluded she was innocent, and after Andersen discovered that the RIAA was attributing an Internet name to her that actually belonged to a young man living in Washington.

Andersen also claims that RIAA representatives threatened to interrogate her 10-year-old daughter, Kylee, if Andersen didn't pay thousands of dollars in fines, alleging that a woman claiming to be the girl's grandmother call Kylee's school to inquire about her attendance.

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Song Stories

“Time to Pretend”

MGMT | 2008

Listening to MGMT’s breakthrough song, one might interpret it as being about the excesses of rock stardom, but it’s actually about the duo’s pet praying mantis. Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden told Rolling Stone they got the idea from the insect's jerky movements. The mantis died, but the two bandmates kept the egg sack and allowed the hundreds of eggs to hatch. “We tried to name them all, but they died after a day,” said Goldwasser, with VanWyngarden chiming in, “But the praying mantis dance inspired us.”

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