Grizzly Bear have been accused of leaking a song from Animal Collectiveโs forthcoming album.
Internet legal enforcer Web Sheriff identified the Brooklyn groupโs blog as the โglobal-leak-sourceโ of โBrothersportโ, the final song from โMerriweather Post Pavilionโ.
However, Grizzly Bear now appear to have denied that they were the first to leak the song.
In an email to the band, Web Sheriff said: โBoth the individuals collectively trading/performing as โGrizzly Bearโ and indeed, yourself [singer Ed Droste] are personally liable to our said clients for all commercial and other losses arising from this blatant act of piracy.โ
Grizzly Bear posted an apology to the band and label Domino on the blog, but have now added in a separate post that they werenโt the first to leak the song.
โThe song was played on a French podcast or radio program. Someone (not me) ripped the song. Many blogs posted the track. I was one of those blogs,โ explained Droste.
โIt was my belief this was already โout thereโ and was essentially like a hype track that would just further excite Animal Collective fans (myself included), so I wrongfully figured it was fair game. Sometimes itโs hard to tell the unofficial โleakโ with the official label-sanctioned โleakโ.
โIf Iโve offended anyone in the Animal Collective family with my excited post, I apologize. It was meant to generate even more excitement for what will surely be a great album, and yes the Web Sheriff is just doing his job.โ
Grizzly Bear side-project Department Of Eagles will play Club Uncut at The Borderline on December 3.
Read Uncut.co.ukโs Wild Mercury Sound blog on Animal Collectiveโs โMerriweather Post Pavilionโ here.