Quote from Bill D :-'make' copies? sure...I 'make' copies of records THAT I OWN all the time...but I would not give them to people who could get them by going to the store. I HAVE made copies of a very few out of print things for friends...and I have taped stuff in order to learn songs...but when I was able to find the originals, I **bought** them. The very first time I met Sandy Paton, I told him I had had some tapes of some Folk-Legacy records for several years, and before that 'look' on his face could develop into a glare *grin*, I proceeded to buy the records from him on the spot.........a LOT of this goes on, and always will, but if you never NEED to see an original, it sure gets tempting.

(and seriously, folks, I am awfully glad my major interest is in trad folk, where taste and whim and fad don't change every 20 minutes..I can see how expensive it CAN be to keep up with the latest pop/rock stuff!)

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I'm just using your letter to help me illustrate my angle on the 'free music' issue Bob, nothing personal. I know the thread is old now but I couldn't sleep after pondering 'moral' issues here.

Bill's letter made me think about the roots of folk music ....how it was a community experience 'shared' by musicians & audience alike, without the audience, trad/folk wouldn't exist ! It was born from communities 'sharing' their joy and musical appreciation, and making each other's lives, a bit more endurable. No-one 'charged' entry fee. The musician received as much inspiration from the singer's & dancer's & social interaction, as they received from the musician. So - you could conceivably say that a 'folk' musician, deciding to go pro and charge his audience, is actually 'stealing' from Traditional music full stop. I'm not saying this is how it is, just a different angle.

Also I'd bet that most of the 'artists' that whine about losing money because of Napster, - didn't give 2 short shits about inflicting their 'free' music on their neighbours ears during their less talented years.

It's all swings & roundabouts, but I think it's a very harsh judgement to call people thieves, because they download a 'freeby'.