Modern Day Robin Hood & His Merry Thieves

I don’t understand the debate about illegal downloading. Simply because it is illegal. People who say "music should be free" are full of shit (or stupid hippies). If someone creates a product (and, yes, music and art are products) they should be able to profit from it. Why is that so hard to understand? Downloading is simply stealing. Metallica weren’t assholes, they were just protecting their business interests.

I’m not against fair use. If I buy a CD, I should be able to load it onto any number of devices, computers or car stereos. I own it and under fair use I should be able to use it all I want for personal use. And I even think I should be able to make a copy for a friend or two, in the hopes that they may become fans and eventually purchase the music.

However, peer-to-peer networks are sharing with millions of your "closest friends" with no intention of ever buying the actual product. How anyone can justify this is beyond me. I know the cat is out of the bag or the milk has been spilt or whatever, but that doesn’t make it right.

Now, on the other hand, I have no problem with trading live recordings or outtakes. If the artist hasn’t released the product as a legitimate release, then they are up for grabs. Of course, many artists support this opinion and often encourage live taping. But that being said, despite my extensive collection of Nirvana "bootlegs" I had no problem forking over the cash to buy the legitimate With The Lights Out boxset (even though I could have compiled a much better set).

In fact, this is a list of some of my favorite "bootlegs" from my collection:

1. Nirvana – Paramount Theatre (10-31-91)
2. Jeff Tweedy - Lounge Ax Chicago, IL (2/28/99)
3. Tom Waits – Alice (original recordings)
4. Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot Demos
5. GBV - Lounge Ax, Chicago, IL (4/5/95)
6. Flaming Lips – Soft Bulletin Companion Disc
7. Beach Boys – Smile
8. The Clash – Rat Patrol From Fort Bragg
9. Nirvana – Outcesticide series
10. Liz Phair – Complete Girlysound Demos

My point is steal if you want to but don’t act like you are Robin Hood.

Now, here are the ten latest songs my iPod has played trying to steal my attention:

1. "A Box for Black Paul" by Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
2. "Fawn" by Tom Waits
3. "Viva Las Vegas" by Dead Kennedys
4. "Swear" by Tim Scott
5. "We Will Become Silhouettes" by Postal Service
6. "I Get Wild/Wild Gravity" by Talking Heads
7. "Three or Four" by the New Pornographers
8. "There You Are" by the Flaming Lips
9. "Wishful Thinking" by Wilco
10. "Take a Look at the Guy" by Izzy Stradlin & the Ju Ju Hounds