http://www.boycott-riaa.com/ http://www.clubplanet.com/content/popup/cover374.asp Everyone talks about online pirating, but what about the more physical kind? Sure, we all know about the sleazy street corner guys with shopping carts full of CDRs with color photocopied covers -– but did you know that DJ mix CDs are also a target for legal action? Almost every DJ, from giant brand name jocks to street-corner wannabe superstars, puts out their own mix CDs. Unlike those that go through legitimate record labels, these mixes are usually unlicensed and technically illegal to sell or even give away. But the practice is tacitly approved of by major stars, particularly from the hip-hop arena, who often hope to place new tracks on a popular street mix to gain credibility and “buzz.†According to a recent Village Voice report, the RIAA has taken to the streets to serve legal papers to independent record stores that stock CDR mix albums. The record labels want the independent record stores out of the business," the owner of Berry's Music in Indianapolis, Indiana told the Village Voice. "They'd rather deal with Target, Best Buy, Circuit City—it's consolidation, just like any other industry. The RIAA knows that mixes are an integral part of urban stores' culture and profit margin. By eliminating them, they can eliminate a lot of indie stores." This was after police and RIAA lawyers confiscated $10,000 worth of mix CDs from the store. Coincidentally, recording media giant Memorex has just announced plans increase street prices on CD-R and CD-RW media. The increases, ranging from 10 to 15 percent, should go into effect by January. Manufacturers of blank CD and DVD media have come under fire for years for providing cheap materials for illegal CD and movie copying. But Memorex claims a different reason, at least publicly, for their price increases. "Due to our prime disc manufacturers' focus towards DVD discs and a lack of investment in new CD-R and CD-RW production facilities, production capacities can no longer meet consumer demand for CD media, and this trend is expected to continue into next year," Memorex CEO Michael Golacinski said in a statement. "We have no alternative but to pass on the increase in cost to our retailers now in order to maintain our commitment to deliver high quality blank media that both our consumers and retailers have learned to trust and depend upon."