’Copy our music’ urges rock band

"The BBC is currently running a story about the band Carbon Silicon, including former members of The Clash and Generation X. The report claims that the band is encouraging fans to download tracks, demos, and works in progress from their website . Talking of re-capturing the culture of recording a tape to lend to your friends, they believe that the free availability of their music won't affect sales, and that the availability extra material like tracks in development will attract and engage even more fans."

Full article : http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4683875.stm

You know, I would have to agree to a point. I mean, there will always be people that exploit things in anything but I have known countless people, including myself, who have found music and albums on the internet and then just had to own the album after hearing it. I think it is in fact a great way to get heard and to start a buzz and its something that is as daring as this that leads to bigger things.

We'll have to wait and see how it develops, but it could be a rather nice start if it just doesn't collapse in on itself.

I don't think that downloading will reduce the group's sales....it is a good way to listen to the album first before buying it..How many times all of us bought an album and got dissapointed after listening it? It is better to obtain a clear picture of it and then buy it. 

Eventually all music will be accessed from the net and will be FREE.It can only be a matter of time.The day that happens will be a great day for music.The internet is slowly relaxing the large record companies stiffling grip.Once record companies are gone the better.Bands can then make money from performing live and charging tickets to see them.

These guys are exactly right. The more exposure you get, the more people will buy your music. If people never hear your music, of course they'll never buy it. As they say, people really love buying records. If you love an album, you just have to buy it. Buying makes you feel part of it.

I remember when I was younger, I used to borrow records from the local library and people might say that if you could get it from the library you wouldn't buy it but it was exactly the opposite. I copied some of the music and if I liked it, I would buy it later and if I didn't I would tape over it. I don't have any of these copies any more. Many of these bands would become favourites and then I'd just have to buy their records.

Mind you, maybe it's just prog geeks like us that love buying music. Maybe pop fans would just prefer to get it free?!

Well, if it's mainly prog fans that prefer buying the cd, maybe pop will die on its feet as fans that don't care about the sound quality as long as it is clear enough to hear the words download for free instead of paying for the disc...