June 13, 2007

A week or so ago, Strung Out’s new album Blackhawks Over Los Angeles, leaked onto the internet, and of course was sought out by uber fans and subsequently spread amongst their rabid fan base with all the rapidity of Paris Hilton’s initial jail-time.

I had decided to ignore this plague that seemed to be sending fans into a frothing frenzy and wait until I legitimately held the CD in my hands, but my virtuous self-control was absolutely put to the test. I had already pre-ordered the album and was committed to legitimately supporting the band, so would it matter if I downloaded a sneak peek?

But then isn’t downloading before the intended release date the most ridiculously impatient act?

Am I disrupting the natural order of the universe by partaking in the wide world of file sharing?

It was time to officially determine my stance on this issue and it drew to one disappointing, inconclusive halt.

All I know for sure is that bands need your support to continue making music. You can support them by attending shows, buying merch and buying their albums.

If you consider yourself to be a music fan and you want to continue to bask in the gazillions of forms of music that we currently have available to us, you’ve gotta do these things. Music fans who download en masse without buying a single album are the devil who by karmic forces alone shall be robbed of hearing in freak speaker malfunction/ chance meeting with Lars Ulrich, in a divine act of retribution for stealing other people’s hard work.

Seriously.