Roll-Your-Own Muxtape Kit 'Opentape' Doesn't Solve Muxtape's Biggest Problem

Music sharing site Muxtape has now been down for more than a week, and is still blaming the recording industry for its problems. But Muxtape fans with their own Web servers can now recreate parts of the service.

Someone called the Opentape Group -- tagline: "Liberating Taste" -- has recently posted a free, open-source Web app that looks and works a lot like Muxtape, which anyone with a Web hosting account and moderate tech smarts can install on their server. Eventually, there will also be a "discovery network," which works a lot like the Muxtape homepage worked -- share your mix with someone, or find others' playlists.

Fine and good with us -- we'll be happy to listen to your tapes. The problem: Opentape is just as illegal to run as the original Muxtape. So unless you're a band like Two Shots Of Rye, which is already using Opentape to host their album -- or have a slush fund to deal with inevitable legal concerns -- we'd recommend keeping your MP3s to yourself.

Meanwhile, whoever is running Opentape -- they specifically say they're not affiliated with Muxtape -- is either very wealthy or has a sense of humor. They've registered the opentape.fm domain to 152 W. 57th Street in Manhattan -- Carnegie Hall Tower. That's mighty expensive real estate. As Valleywag notes, it's the home address of IAC CEO Barry Diller, who once employed Muxtape's Justin Ouellette, when Justin worked at Vimeo. It's also where Allan Grubman, "the undisputed king of music entertainment law," has an office.

See Also:
Why A Muxtape Comeback Won't Last
Muxtape Shut Down By RIAA?
Muxtape: Make A Mix Tape, Make Some Cash?