[The Flying Mouse]

Originally Posted by evil nickname

He has a point there. It happened to me. Downloaded something to sample, spend a lot of money later on because I liked it a lot.

In all fairness, would you say you were in the minority or the majority?

Originally Posted by evil nickname

Which quite often happens to be uploaded by fans without the artists' permission, made by crappy camera-phones, etc. etc. etc.

I'm glad you knew what I meant despite the typo (I was wondering wtf I had written when I was reading your post ).
It's not the camera phone footage i'm talking about, it's the original promo vids for the singles. I've not looked for a while, but i'm betting I could go to youtube right now and find at least 80% of Meat's promo vids. And I believe that to be a low estimate.
I know that they are uploaded without the artists permission (that's perhaps another subject) but they are there so make an alternative to downloading an album (or discography).

Originally Posted by evil nickname

"That fat bloke can't sing and his music is shite."

If that's the review you read, and you trust the reporter, maybe his style isn't for you
It's up to the reader to decide wether to look further into the artist or not.

Originally Posted by evil nickname

They weren't going to spend money on an artist to find out what he's like, remember?

Again, you don't need to spend money to see what an artist is like on youtube. For one, there are the promo vids, but there are also lots of fan vids where they combine music from their favourite artist with something else they like. There was a very well done fan vid for the movie Ghost Rider featuring (in good quality) the original album version of Monster's Loose. I've also seen a very good one (don't remember the song used off the top of my head ) for Doctor Who clips.
Again, they're not official, and i'm not defending the fact they're up there, i'm just saying they make downloading completley unnecersary

Originally Posted by evil nickname

None of which will go back to the artist, so you might as well download it.

It's true that money on ebay doesn't go to the artist, I only offered it as an alternative to the illegal act of downloading the album
Also, I think there is something much more special about an official product with a good looking cover and a lyric book than a CD with the name of the album written on with a magic marker.
Either way the artist doesn't get money, but the person gets the taste they want without completly taking the piss and they have a good quality product.

Originally Posted by evil nickname

True. Still, they might not buy the music, but they might go to concerts, buy shirts, whatever.

Like I said to Stretch, if a plumber does a whole house, you don't pay him just for the sink.

Originally Posted by evil nickname

Perhaps there is no need, but it is quite a lot easier and faster that going on eBay, buying an album and waiting for it to arive. Or going to a shop to pick up a cheap compilation.

Perhaps, but to be fair, I can't remember when I needed music that badly.
If I were starving to death and could download "food" yes, I can go with that. If i'm homless and getting soaked in the rain and could download "shelter" (and before someone says something about the homless having access to broadband............ ) I think I would do so, but this is music we're talking about. I like to think that music is a hugely important part of my life, but i'm not going to suffer for the lack of an album.
The people downloading illegally can afford a computer (obviously) so they can afford the album, and if they can't afford the album that week they are not going to have their health and wellbeing at risk.

Feeling the need that you need to possess right now illegally rather than maybe wait for a couple of days to own what you can live very comfortably without is more a case of greed and a well developed id.

I see why people download, but I don't think it's right just because it's easy.

Originally Posted by evil nickname

Also, you could argue that the phyiscal formats are on their way out, especially for the younger people—O, god, I'm just 32 and look at what I just wrote—and that mp3s are easier. How many people carry around a discman and a stack of CDs nowadays? Conveniance is king.

You have a point here, and i'm fearful for the future or physical releases myself
But are Meat's songs not available from places where you pay track by track? (I have no idea as when it comes to downloads I am opinionated but not informed ).

Originally Posted by evil nickname

Yes, I know: iTunes. Spotify, what have you. Why still download illegally? I'll keep it at this: I cannot use iTunes on Linux, and Spotify is far from complete, and silly geographical restrictions when the internet is this global network. There's a lot of room for improvement in that department. As long as it's still easier to just torrent whatever you want, people will keep doing that.

I'm assuming this answers the question i've just asked before I asked it?

Originally Posted by evil nickname

Believe me, I'm all for artist making money with their art. I still buy a lot of CDs and LPs, perferably straight from the artist. Maybe because I can remember the time before the internet, when home taping was still killing the music industry.

But: the internet/filesharing has changed the game. The cat's out of the bag, and it's never going back in. I believe that instead of lamenting the change, artist and the industry should embrace it, and develop new ways of generating revenue. Perhaps by giving away their music for free if they choose to.

I'm at a loss to understand how bands can generate revenue by giving their music away for free.

Originally Posted by evil nickname

I'll keep it at this for now, cause I have six people coming over for dinner in an hour and a half.

Have fun