Here’s Gregory Roach, better known here and elsewhere as Sam I Am, in a Reader’s Write to the p2pnet post outing him.
“Some here are wondering how Dreddsnik made a connection to Gregory A. Roach with nothing of substance to go on” he says, going on >>>
I find that curious, too. The fact is Jon Newton has had an email address with my last name and my three initials since my very first post here as a very early form of respect to him, expressly so he could know who I am if he wanted to.
["expressly so he could know who I am if he wanted to". Rubbish. As I've said elsewhere, I asked him on several occasions to identify himself, but he never did. I suspected from cursory seaches on Roach and GAR that I knew who he was, but it wasn't until Dredd found his Linked-in post that I knew for sure. And I promise Roach I've never given his email address to anyone.]
At the least he could see for himself I’ve always run my own shop and have no Mafiaa industry affiliations. When you give a man your name and location, it’s clear you aren’t hiding from him. But also early on, Jon published a posters physical threats against me and my family, irresponsibly I thought, and so there’s been good reason to remain Sam I Am. (That name is fair use, by the way, Jon’s allegation of potential infringement is just smarmy pettiness. Only Jon Newton might see no difference between using “Sam I Am” as a posting nick and unlawfully copying and distributing the collected works of Theodor Geisel.)
[ don't know what Gregory means by physical threats, but it's probably one of the typical comment rants every site gets, usually from people aged about 10 or under the influence. ]
Anyway, after a long and successful run as a Manhattan based designer/producer of special event all over the world, (music, fashion, industrial show) I’ve been looking for whatever might be next and reviewing the pirate sites for years.
In my spare time I’ve been developing a carefully organized and edited brief of pirate related information and insight so valuable to digital industry that I’ve successfully made the transition to digital monetization consultant here and in Europe these past 4 years. At the moment I’m consulting with digital publishing here in New York, but Dredds case is far less compelling.
Knowing “Sam I Am” attended some event (along with thousands of others) or worked on music video (we didn’t, actually) or has offices near Beckerman (a claim about 2 million others could also make) could never lead to making that connection without that email address. I leave it to the readers to decide for themselves what really happened but only Jon had that address here and Dredd, buddy, thou doth protest (way) too much. lol Perhaps you’ll publish step-by-step the path that led from Sam I Am to Gregory A. Roach with all the links and the evidence you unearthed. I don’t think it actually exists. Certainly, we’d all be fascinated to follow the links.
As for the FAC connection, I was working in London in early February 2009 after a correspondence with David Lammy’s office, and also orchestrating a live event there that featured a handful of bands. I’ve worked in support of musicians and touring for decades. The bands and I hit it off, we went out later as a group to eat and they told me about this burgeoning “coalition of recording artists”. I was intrigued and wanted to know more, so a group invited me to a big bash the following weekend out east on Bow Road where I met and spoke with dozens of artists upset about piracy and very encouraged about this development. When the FAC formed and the Air Statement launched that September, I was aware and thus, third to post in support of their agenda. I still work hard to support it. You can read that support on the FAC homepage under “The Air Statement.”
Liz posted “You decide what you want from life and you do your best to make it happen.” but that’s not true at all; in fact most in the final analysis do not ever do their best. Some do. Some build dreams into businesses in support of the artist and earn significant sums while doing it. Others prefer grousing at the keyboard about how life is so unfair. A few even try begging. We all know who we are here.
“Billy certainly figured it out”, Roach adds.
Also see Sam I Am: Part II.
How does that saying go? What a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive?
Jon Newton