here is how you change the model of how to compete with "free"
1) walk up to the closest mirror you have.
2) look yourself in the eye
3) if you steal music online...call yourself a
THIEF and/or a CRIMINAL and walk away ashamed and realize YOU are part of the f*cking problem.
you can blame the industry all you want, but guess what? they actually OWN the product you wish to consume. not you, if you did then you would be in a band called KAMELOT, HAMMERFALL, etc but you aren't you are on this board like me.
the bottom line is "free" is not "free" just because it's out there for free, downloading it doesn't make it right. it's called having a conscience. people can sit on this board and justify downloading anyway they want (sure i do it because i am impatient person, but i also have a 9,000+ cd collection. so i am obviously not the problem) but it doesn't change the fact that if you didn't pay for it then it is stealing.
i managed an independent record store here in town for over 10 years and watched it die, and now people come up to me saying they are bummed it's gone because they cannot find any music they like and they miss the atmosphere. sure chatting on this board is cool, but i know very few on here personally, but i knew hundreds of people that shopped at the store. it was actual people of like minds not avatars and signatures.
there is something wrong with the digital age. one day we will wake up and understand, or at least i can hope.
i applaud the people who continue to support music physically and somewhat applaud those who buy music digitally - not my thing, so i cannot support 100%
but until we can reverse the acceptance of THIEVING, things will never change and just how stores are closing here, bands will soon cease to be able to make the music we love.
agree or disagree, this is a subject in which my mind can never be changed so don't bother.