Re: Bootleg advice needed...

[calmasd.Prime.COM!wlp%sdcsvax@ucsd.edu (Walter Peterson)]

In article <ANDBJ.89Nov17085058@majestix.IDA.LiU.SE>, abj@IDA.LiU.SE (Andreas Bjorklind) writes:
> 
> 
> I have a decision problem: in my local used records shop I can buy
> a KaTe-bootleg. This is not the problem... that I'm a complete novice
> to bootlegs is, though!
>   The bootleg  is Rock Solid Records (?) double LP "Kate Bush 
> Live in Bristol 1979" (with a beautiful figure-cut sleeve). The record-
> man wants $31.00 for it.
>   My question: is this a fair price for this bootleg?
> 
> Looking forward to YOUR advice!
> 



IMHO the one and only "fair" price for a bootleg recording ( or book,
etc. ) is $0.00; in other words *DON'T BUY IT*.  Think for a moment.
Do you really like Kate ?  Do you really admire her talent ? Do her
songs speak to something inside you ?  Then why do you want to cheat
her ?

I have heard all of the rationalizations for bootlegs; "most of the
money for legitimate copies goes to middlemen", "the ones really
getting rich are the record company ( publisher ) execs and owners",
and so on. Well, when you buy a bootleg copy, the "suits" don't get
their pound of flesh ( unless they are also getting a
piece-of-the-action from the bootleggers ), but the artist also gets
NOTHING.

I realize that most people's funds for records are limited and CDs are
grossly over-priced, but that is no excuse.  Artists in all media are
cheated enough by the "system", lets not make it worse by buying
bootleg copies of works by artist whom we claim to admire.


-- 
"Exploring the consensual hallucination of cyberspace."
Walt Peterson.  wlp@calmasd.Prime.COM
"The opinions expressed here are my own."