Burnlounge almost got away with one of the best scams in digital music history. I called it here on Netmix and was ostracized by people like Hazel Zoletta from Tommy Boy, who sang the virtues of Burnlounge, while tens of thousands of people gave up their hard-earned dollars to a bunch of people who had been investigated for pyramid-type operations before.
One of my best friends (who shall remain nameless) threatened to never talk to me again over my calling Burnlouge out for what they truly were, one of the biggest online music scam’s since digital music was invented. Both she and Hazel were mad that I said “B and C” level” executives were at the first Burnlounge New York meeting, which took place in the lounge under Coffee Shop in Union Square.
I still stand by that statement, as I didn’t see Diddy, Lyor or Clive there. And if I was there, then I was calling myself a “B” or “C” level executive anyway. Of course, in their furor, they couldn’t see the forest from the trees.
So, what happened to Burnlounge? Well, the FTC shut them down. The URL is finito! Gone. Poof! Digital Music News reports that the FTC has settled with a former Burnlounge promoter, Scott Elliot, who agreed to pay $20,000 of a $117,000 judgment against him. We hear it’s about all he could afford.
Of course, we’ve never again heard from Burnlounge Barry in our comments section. Who is Burnlounge Barry? He was a Burnlounge operator who found our blog and carried on a running argument with me about the sanctity of Burnlounge. He was adamant that Burnlounge was the wave of the future…yada…yada. That Burnlounge would revolutionize the music industry. Where is Barry now? Nowhere to be found now. He’s probably on to the next big scam. We wish him the best of luck and look forward to the day that he’s locked up like the rest of them.
