And yes Edward you c*nt it IS sharing, nobody is taking the original copy and denying the rights holder the opportunity of profiting from it, so no theft is taking place. One download does NOT equal one lost sale, and as Dave points out, it often leads to MORE sales for an artist.

Spotify are 40% owned by the major labels, who take a nice big cut of advertising revenue, but pass none of it on to the artists who are being exploited to SELL that advertising space. So it seems to me that streaming services really ARE stealing from the artists where P2P sharing is working as a free distribution and marketing service.

After the Lily Allen “mwaaaah, they’re all more cleverer than me (and they found my illegal copyright infringing mixtapes on my website) so I’m going to have a tantrum and shut down my blog” incident, I went and found some of the music from the artists who were completely opposed to her (and the FAC’s) position and downloaded their stuff, paying where it seemed appropriate. I’ve recommended some of these bands on to others and given them copies (as is encouraged by some of the bands out there) and I know they’re all hoping to go and see these artists live soon.

As Dan Bull said on his ‘Open Letter to Lily Allen’ tune on YouTube: “perhaps we should have a BAN CDs appeal, then people would have to go and see bands play for real!”.

Big up Akira… you the geezer and a genuine ’sir’.

And yes Edward you c*nt it IS sharing, nobody is taking the original copy and denying the rights holder the opportunity of profiting from it, so no theft is taking place. One download does NOT equal one lost sale, and as Dave points out, it often leads to MORE sales for an artist.

Spotify are 40% owned by the major labels, who take a nice big cut of advertising revenue, but pass none of it on to the artists who are being exploited to SELL that advertising space. So it seems to me that streaming services really ARE stealing from the artists where P2P sharing is working as a free distribution and marketing service.

After the Lily Allen “mwaaaah, they’re all more cleverer than me (and they found my illegal copyright infringing mixtapes on my website) so I’m going to have a tantrum and shut down my blog” incident, I went and found some of the music from the artists who were completely opposed to her (and the FAC’s) position and downloaded their stuff, paying where it seemed appropriate. I’ve recommended some of these bands on to others and given them copies (as is encouraged by some of the bands out there) and I know they’re all hoping to go and see these artists live soon.

As Dan Bull said on his ‘Open Letter to Lily Allen’ tune on YouTube: “perhaps we should have a BAN CDs appeal, then people would have to go and see bands play for real!”.

Big up Akira… you the geezer and a genuine ’sir’.

I don’t think you can have a pop at me for slagging off someone from the safe anonymity of an internet forum and then write this.

And to reply to your point above (which doesn’t have a ‘Reply’ option for me to do it there), I would be very happy to repeat my above statements to Howard Jones’ (New?) face. I reckon I can take him if things get nasty; he looks well weedy, innit?

I will be downloading Dan Bull’s album and donating if i like it. I’m not a thief.

Been listening to Dan Bull’s album whilst tapping the plastic, and I’m gonna vote with a big thumbs up for the guy. He’s more of a spoken word guy, kinda like Mr Pip. Oh, and it’s a free download. The whole album. Here, have a listen: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=HMMBYOTZ If you like, donate here: http://www.freshnut.co.uk/index.php?p=shop or if you feel you actually need to slag him off to his face, his site is here: http://www.myspace.com/danbull Nice not to have to pay through the nose first, before being able to make an informed decision. Whichever way it goes.

Last plug, promise: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuqsxnHlhTc and the money shot: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2o81Yzsmng&feature=related …

So currently the funding is by lottery, and your soul the price of a ticket.

Surly any sensible alternative’s gotta be worth it…?

Now that free and readily available, isn’t the ‘discovery people through downloading illegally’ a thing of the past?

I heard Mika say that on Radio 4 last week. Yep. Mika. Yep. Radio 4.
do one.