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Here's your question and answer of the week from the Punknews Formspring:

Q: What's your stance on illegal downloading/file sharing? Do you partake yourself in such activities?

A: Most people were quick to poke fun at Metallica for taking such a strong stance against file sharing back in the day. But they predicted it would cripple the music industry, and they more or less ended up being right.

While illegal downloading has no doubt aided discovery for music fans over the years, it's also largely aided the current music consumption climate. Most kids these days treat music as completely disposable and not worth their investment, but then act like entitled little brats when the bands they like can't afford to come play their town or whatever. It's maddeningly self-serving, and no matter how many bands come out against piracy, the words never seem to resonate. And it bums me out.

The other thing I don't get: Fans who are like, "Oh, I'll download the record illegally and then buy a t-shirt from the band" or "Bands make more money touring anyway, I'll just download the album and then buy a show ticket." Obviously buying *some* sort of merch is better than not buying anything, but man, back in the day fans bought the t-shirt, the show ticket AND the album! It was totally a thing that people did! Don't act like you should be commended for your extremely minimal gesture toward a band you like by taking that slighty-less-worse stance.

If you want your favorite bands to make enough money to record and tour *and* you enjoy what they're doing, show them by opening your wallet.

-Bryne

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