[Stu]

Originally Posted by setanta

I don't agree. They're taking a hammering in cds maybe, but what about dvd sales and tv/radio spots and touring?

I am talking about record labels here, and record label branches of larger corporations, not other channels of media. Dozens of record labels are going out of business, dozens already have. It's not for you to agree or disagree with, it's just a plain fact.

Originally Posted by setanta

And yes, we're breaking the law but trying to make it acceptability when it's clearly not. I don't care about the big boys, I care about the smaller lads who are trying to earn a crust. And stealing is stealing, whether it's from Tescos or your local grocery shop. You decide to embrace it and we'll lose out on many interesting artists.

Well if you care about the smaller lads you should be delighted in knowing they made an impression like never before this decade thanks to the internet. It is far easier to break into music now than it was fifty years ago when you had to know somebody. Harder to sell records, yes, but easier to get into music.

As for stealing is stealing? Bullshit. I have already explained this to you a dozen times. How on earth could you consider stealing from a major artist on a major label the same thing as stealing from a struggling artist on an independent label? Stealing is only stealing in principal.

As for embrace it? Again your putting yourself on a moral pedestal. I am not embracing illegal activity, I am embracing the benefits of downloading while recognising the drawbacks. And I am not the only one. Take Radiohead, for instance. They had they're finger firmly on the button and so do many other artists who would disagree with you and say it's important to embrace this change because it's not stopping. Major labels have lost out this decade because they have been slow to embrace change.

I don't think we will be loosing out on many interesting artists either, chief. I think I am hearing slightly more artists now than when I did before I had the use of the internet.