So we are all agreed: We're Pro-Pirates!

real fans of the incredible flying torture orchestra don't have to pay a cent. the rest of you will all pay... dearly...

I personally think for ARTISTS downloading could be seen as a good thing and paradoxically beneficial as they are reaching an even bigger audience. If their music is good enough then people will buy the official releases, go to gigs etc. 20 years ago apart from word of mouth, bands had to work their arse off. Hawking demos, playing fleapits at night after a days work.

People who download for the sole purpose of making money are the people who need to be targeted. The genuine fan is not ripping off anybody. They just have easier and faster access to a wider range of bands and surely that is beneficial to the bands?

I kinda question the morals of someone who was in a band and put their financial interests over having people listen to the music. If your in it for money you are a really sad person.

^^^Agreed. Bands who only put half of songs up on Myspace for people to listen to *cough* Fall Out Boy *cough* Simple Plan *wheeze* are just sad.

Here's an interesting story.

There was a post punk band called Inner City Unit who were around in the early - mid 80s. In 1985 they spilt up for good. the last thing ever to be released by them was the CD reissues of their albums in 1989.
A couple of years ago their guitarist & main songwriter Dead Fred decided he wants to put up 2 of their albums as free downloads on his own website with a bunch of demos for unrecorded songs and a tape of a gig he had.

Guess what , his old record company told him to take his own recordings down before they took court action on him . Even though those albums have been unavailable for well over 15 years and they have no plans to re-issue any of them because there's no demand and they would probably lose money on it.

So yes , it's getting so bad even musicians who want you to hear their stuff free are getting hassled over it.

What a bunch of pricks.