what about having an mp3 section?

when u just wanna browse prog archives for new bands, it can be a hassle to have to look at each bands page seperately to see if they have downloads up

to have all bands mp3s in one place would be a good way for people to browse this place easy, and as long as u have a link to each bands info page, we can still read about the band too as it downloads.

by the way, i am the same person as the user 'richey'

i forgot my password n had to set up this new account!

Hmmmm. casual downloader, I had to suffer and search -- why shouldn't you?

(Would seem to invite copyright litigation....)

Facilitating access to all the MP3s in one place on the site would be like a red rag to a bull (the recording industry being the bull).

I am sure 99.9% of the bands for which there are MP3s on this site are well aware of the fact and tolerate it because of the context and the purpose of the site itself, which is, in effect, a marketing tool for the bands and the record industry. However, if all the MP3s were accessible en masse then it would only be a matter of time before some band, music company or trade association would come down on this site like a tonne of bricks. Of that I am sure.

The way the site is set up at the moment, in terms of one or two MP3s accessible in context when you browse the reviews of the relevant band is perfect, and I can't see many bands objecting to that. Change things to an 'MP3 farm' and it's a whole new ball game.

If anyone thinks the industry is not aware of this site, try typing "prog rock" or "progressive rock" into Google. The former search returns ProgArchives at the top of the list and the latter as sixth. MAX@ and his colleagues have done an amazing job with the concept and design of this site: it's a music marketing tool par excellence!

Fitzcarraldo wrote: Facilitating access to all the MP3s in one place on the site would be like a red rag to a bull (the recording industry being the bull). I am sure 99.9% of the bands for which there are MP3s on this site are well aware of the fact and tolerate it because of the context and the purpose of the site itself, which is, in effect, a marketing tool for the bands and the record industry. However, if all the MP3s were accessible en masse then it would only be a matter of time before some band, music company or trade association would come down on this site like a tonne of bricks. Of that I am sure. The way the site is set up at the moment, in terms of one or two MP3s accessible in context when you browse the reviews of the relevant band is perfect, and I can't see many bands objecting to that. Change things to an 'MP3 farm' and it's a whole new ball game. If anyone thinks the industry is not aware of this site, try typing "prog rock" or "progressive rock" into Google. The former search returns ProgArchives at the top of the list and the latter as sixth. MAX@ and his colleagues have done an amazing job with the concept and design of this site: it's a music marketing tool par excellence!

I don't see any reason for having a site with all Mp3s gathered. I think that reading and searching IS the fascinating thing about finding new bands. Sometimes you find new bands by chance, sometimes because of reading...but I don't think that it is a good thing to find bands because you force yourself to find new ones by listening to thousands of Mp3s. I still think that it is a great thing to unpack an album of a band you discovered by reading and reading. You're proverbial dying to listen to it...

I think that such a site would keep people from occuping themselves with the music/band...and that's one of the great things about prog...

I certainly agree there should not be an mp3 'farm' on the Prog Archives website.

Having said that, what I would like to see some form of traffic light-type indicator on the alphabetical listing pages to show those bands with an mp3 linked, and those without.

Other than that, an excellent website!