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RE: Downloading debate



All right, for my 2 cents:

The perfect example of my feelings on this is list-related anyhow...
Whenever someone on the list explicitly recommends an artist, I open
Morpheus and start searching.  Case in point:  A couple of months ago, I
downloaded a whole slug of Sigur Ros.  Since then, I've purchased
Aegaetis Byrjun and Svefn-G-Englar (EP).  I would have spent WAY more
money on them than I did.  I'm still on the lookout for any other discs
of theirs that I can find in ANY of the quirky, independent-type record
stores here in the Twin Cities.  So, for me, downloading is a sampling
medium.

I read an article back during the whole Napster debacle by Courtney Love
where she described herself as a waitress.  I personally think the
analogy would have worked better with her as fry cook, but her point was
that she has no problem giving the customer a free sample of her work,
as long as they buy it if they like it.  She also basically said "you
wanna talk about piracy?  Let's talk about a debut major-label recording
contract.  THAT'S piracy!"  I thought it was a well-reasoned response
from the artist's quarter.  The other artist I remember hearing quoted
on the issue was Bono, who as I remember it, said something to the
effect of "I don't give a sh*t, I make too much f***in' money as it
is!".  Now, granted, U2 owns their own masters, their own studio, and
probably half of Dublin, so they have no worries.  

I also thought it was interesting that so few actual RECORDING ARTISTS
seemed to be on the anti-sharing bandwagon.  Most of what I saw were a
couple of rap artists, that damned Lars Ulrich (shut UP, already!), and
record companies.  I guess, for me, if I only like 1 or 2 songs, I'm not
going to buy the album.  I'll keep the files, and maybe put them on mix
CDs, and if there was a way to buy song by song, I'd probably do it.  If
I like the majority of what I hear (not even ALL), I'll buy the disc --
preferably direct from the artist, but I'll pay a studio if I have to.
I think file sharing is a far more intelligent way of responsible
shopping.  I have maybe 150 cds from the pre-sharing era that have MAYBE
2 songs I actually like on them.  Nevermore.  No buying CDs from one
radio single or the cool looking album cover ever again.  If I am
spending my hard-earned cash, I have a right to expect full return on my
money, and downloading helps me make sure that happens.  Also, if I
don't like what I hear, I delete it. 

Oh, I also do what Ysoie does.  My CD rips are on an entirely different
drive than my Morpheus folder.  Great minds, I guess... <wink to Ysoie>

Jeff

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