Bootlegs are they ethical?

Josh Faul ([email protected])
Wed, 05 Aug 1998 22:17:25 PDT

I got to thinking, are bootlegs ethical? We know they're illegal and U2
has publicly stated something to the effect that they don't care about
it as long as no one gets ripped off. But they were probably just saying
this because they knew full well there is NO WAY they could ever stop
it. So if it's going to happen anyway they just don't want anyone to get
ripped off.

One can always bring up the point that U2 has no interest in releasing
the concerts to the public therefore by making and selling bootlegs one
isn't stealing profits from the band or the record company. While this
is true it still doesn't change the fact that it is illegal. Maybe U2
themselves don't care about bootlegs but I'm sure that Polygram does.
And since U2 are under contract with them Polygram would have the final
say in matters such as these.

So maybe we should all think twice before ordering that next boot or
making that CD-R. I'm just as guilty (if not more so) than most of you.
But if this activity is illegal and U2 doesn't want us doing it then we
as fans should stop doing it. I think that U2 would only really have a
problem with the people making profit off of their work. You didn't
write the music you didn't perform you didn't record it so what right do
you have to charge money for it? (other than to cover you costs and ONLY
your costs)

To me it would make sense for U2 to record all their shows from the
soundboard and then make them available to the public through mail
order. This would completely eliminate bootlegging and it would ensure
that fans get a good product at a fair price. Plus it would mean extra
income for them.

Just my $0.02

Slicer

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