Music Piracy

I've downloaded a bunch of records recently, since I got my new computer and all of a sudden had a lot of space... though I have re-evaluated my (and the bands) situation. Since the records have become so over-priced in the past two-three years ($18 for some CD's here... like Vehemence for example), I have to be extremely picky with what I buy. Therefore, downloading albums to see what's good and what's not, is merely a way of getting by. I can't possibly afford to buy an album I don't like. Still, I prefer to buy albums of smaller, more unknown bands, since the big bands already have a firm economy (probably). So from now on, I almost only buy underground albums and the occasional Iron Maiden-cd... If I only had more money. I hate downloading, and I never ever burn mp3's to cd. I hate it.
 
I see your point. I'm a guilty party when it comes to downloading individual songs that I like. Usually when I hate the album. It's come to stress me a little lately though when I really stop and think about it. Is it any better than stealing?

I mean, we wouldn't go into the fruit shop and take a bite out of a few apples and then walk out without paying for them would we?? Or try a new fruit like kiwi fruit or a mango and if we liked it put it back on the shelf and think "I'll have to get that later on"?

The main industry back in my old hometown was mining. Everyone who worked on the mine had a whole shed full of mine equipment, yet they didn't view that as theft. Whereas if someone was caught stealing $100 from a till they bacame a social outcast because they were a filthy criminal. Yet what these people had in their homes added up to thousands of dollars worth of material that they didn't pay a cent for. I fear I have strayed somewhat from my point, but does this analogy make any sense to anyone??

We don't really view downloading as stealing, but isn't that what we're really doing??
 
Vehemence does not have a firm economy hehe, without people buying our albums, we dont get our royalties (no extra money for touring or emergencys, nor the sound scan mark which means we cant get on good tours (since they look at sound scan only for position of line up and order.) Every buy counts, and I hope people can find there beloved music elese where and research where they can get it cheapest. I like to get music from bands that go on tour, or go to a cheap internet store.
 
I have 6 gigs of music in my computer, I'll be happy to buy any of those albums instead of downloading them from the net, but the only problem is that they are really hard to find here.