SoundSalvationArmy

We all have moments of weakness. The above photo is evidence of mine.

There are certain bands I love beyond all reason and would do anything to hear their music a little sooner than is perhaps legally possible or replaced a missing CD with an illegal MP3 or two. If you are reading this, you have very likely downloaded music without paying for it.

And that’s okay. We aren’t here to judge you.

Personally, I’m fine with it. Especially since iTunes’ policy of “If you put this music on more than one device five times, it’s no longer good” is some kind of balls. If I pay for something, I expect to own it forever or until I’m done with it. Like, this sweater I’m wearing right now? I’ve only worn it three or four times. By Steve Jobs’ logic, if I wear it a fifth time, it either ceases to exist, or goes back to the store from whence it came. B.A.L.L.S.

Anyway. A lot of my music collection is downloaded from websites and MP3 blogs just like this one. However, once I discover a musician I love, I tend to go out of my way to support them, whether that’s through concert tickets, merchandise like posters or T-shirts, physical copies of albums and box sets or cease and desist letters sent by their lawyers. (Britt Daniel is just in denial about our love. Call me, Britt!)

But. Sometimes, it happens that I don’t have a chance to supplement my downloaded materials with physical copies of albums from my favourite bands. Such as was the case with the New Pornographers album this year.

In my travels on the interwebs, I got an advance copy. From, uh . . . somebody. Who shall remain nameless. I really liked it. A lot. Most people did not. But I was so gung-ho, I made plans to buy it the day it came out. I don’t remember what I was doing the day that happened, but whatever it was, it must have been monumentally important for me to skip out on a trip to the record store. Or it’s possible I slept in and was late to work. Far more likely.

Oops. Oh well, I said. I’ll just pick up a copy at their show in Toronto. I got tickets for said show. And then promptly mixed up the date. I know, I know! I’m an idiot. My concert-going buddy and co-blogger at boobtube, Jess, called me at 5 p.m. Sunday and said “What are you doing?” Me? Oh, nothing. Sitting around. Painting my nails. Drinking a diet coke.  Contemplating getting Chinese. You? “We should be in Toronto! The concert is tonight!” Dammit. I had the tickets, I had a reminder from ticketmaster. I had the date circled on a virtual calendar. And virtually forgot. I also have no car, so it was too late. Oops. Oh well. I heard Bejar was drunk off his ass again anyway. Maybe next time around, he’ll have gone through rehab.

Well. This is turning into a long story. Ultimately, I did not ever buy a copy of Challengers. And I felt really bad about it. Until a friend turned me on to dearrockers.org.

It’s a project conceived and hosted by friend of a friend Darren, wherein he entreats you to send in photos or scans of letters to musicians detailing your online transgressions when it comes to downloading music illegally. He then encourages readers to send $5 with their letter, directly to the musicians in question. I dashed off a quick note to the New Pornographers, dug through my purse for some change, took a picture, and sent it off. Darren put my letter and photo up. Eventually, I found a crisp five, bought a stamp with the change and mailed the money and letter off to the New Pornographers. I haven’t heard anything back, nor do I expect to, but I felt marginally better. Some day, I will buy a copy of Challengers. Until then, well, I’ve kinda paid for it.

So, how about you? Got a guilty conscience? Want to clear it a little? Here’s some incentive: Send a letter and a photo before December 31, 2007 and you’re entered to win an iPod shuffle, with which you may get your tiny groove on.

So check out Dear Rockers and dash off a note to your favourite rock star. We’ll have this paying for digital music thing taken care of before Axl Rose can release Chinese Democracy!

Tanis entries Dear Rockers, downloading, guilty conscience, live music, mp3, New Pornographers, RIAA