| | | |
The tape trading community is very diverse, from give-it-away Deadheads on one end, to commercial bootleggers at the other. As you will see I align myself with the Deadheads and am rather against the concept of bootlegging. You may not agree with me, but I can tell you one thing. Because of people who feel like me, when I first got into tape trading, I got dozens of concert tapes, merely for the price of a blank tape. I continue to add to my concert collection by merely trading tapes or sending blanks to others. Why would I or anyone else want to replace this system with one where you have to pay for shows? Ethical concerns aside, who would gain? Why throw yourself in with the bootleggers?
Now whether you are a bootlegger or a tape trader, we are all taking part in an illegal activity. I'm not sure of the exact words of the laws, but it it is almost always true that concert venues do not allow taping at their shows. And many artists are opposed to tapes being made. However, how you choose to use these tapes makes all the difference. In the end if you do it all for the music and the fans - that is what matters.
All of us involved with concert tapes are responsible for distributing an artist's work without their permission or even knowledge. However a bootlegger is guilty of a greater offense: making money from the artist's work. A bootlegger is one who records a show and then has it made on CD and sells it. And usually charges an arm and a leg for it. A tape trader in turn records the show and then makes copies of this show for others, in return for them copying shows for the taper. Some will even make copies for nothing. This tape trader is still dealing with someone else's property: the artist's. But the tape trader does not profit from that work. The tape trader is solely interested in the enjoyment of the music. Any complaints an artist has about that I cannot take too seriously.
However I do respect the artist's right to make money from their own work. What right does a bootlegger have to make money from the artist's work? Certainly the task of recording the show can't be compared with the acts of writing and performing music. Throughout the recording industry others make a living from the work of an artist, but the artist also gets paid. The artist receives nothing from the selling of bootlegs, not even a say in how the work turns out. That is the essence of my argument against bootleggers, and the reason I would never buy a bootleg CD. (Besides the fact that they cost fifty bucks).
Now, a different and more complex case is tape traders who ask for money or tapes in return for their services as a copier. A true tape trader will often make tapes even for those who have nothing to trade. They will simply have you send them some blank tapes and they will copy the show for you. However there are some traders who in these circumstances will ask you to send two blank tapes for everyone they have to make, or that will sell copies of their concert tapes. Although I have more sympathy for these cases, I still have to condemn them.
I understand the need for these traders to gain something from their trades. Making tapes can be a burden, especially when the numbers add up. I had to remove my web site at one point because I just couldn't handle the numbers of people who wanted tapes made. I never asked these people for anything extra, but the idea certainly came to me as I spent hours making copies and printing out j-cards. However I believe that there is a spectrum with bootlegging on one end, and tape trading on the other. And asking for something in return for your copying is too far towards bootlegging in my estimation. The essence of my problem with bootlegging is that the bootleggers are making money off of an artist's work. And if you ask for money or blank tapes in return for distributing the music, how are you any different than a bootlegger? Certainly you are putting in work, and there's nothing wrong with wanting payback. But where is the artist's pay, for their work? Legitimate music store owners get paid for the labor of distributing music, but first the artist gets their cut. If you want to get paid for the same work, you better make sure you give the artist their share. Send a dollar to the artist for every dollar you get - if you do that I'll have no problem with you. But if you have the nerve to think that you should get paid before the artist, that I will not tolerate.
If you are new to tape trading, I hope that this will convince you to follow the difficult path of tape trading, and to steer you away from those bootleg racks at the stores. Although it's not all that difficult. All ethical concerns aside, what's the reason to buy any of those cds in the first place? Fifty dollars for a concert that you could trade for on tape. The trade would cost you 2.50 for a tape and postage. And would probably be a more complete show. I don't know what the attraction is for those who are already aware of the internet trade community. But that's just me I guess.
Do you agree with me? Do you disagree with me? Do you think I'm the stupidest person alive? E-mail meand let me know so that I can make my argument better.