Re: Bootlegs

[Lev Polinsky <polinsky@husc.harvard.edu>]

On Thu, 25 Apr 1996, J. Christian Tennant wrote:

> Hi everybody,
>     With all this talk on the list of bootlegs and where to buy them, 
> I think I should forward this little article that appeared in my 
> morning newspaper today.  This particular article came from Knight-
> Ridder Newspapers.  Here it goes:
> 
> BOOTLEGGERS BEWARE
>     "Hard times are here again for collectors of bootleg CDs.  The 
> Record Industry Association of America helped coordinate a recent 
> raid in Los Angeles that resulted in 200,000 seized CDs, including 
> some brand new shipments from Taiwan.  It strikes a major blow to the 
> CD supply to L.A. and has put the fear of federal prison into the 
> entire bootleg industry.  Expect some lean times ahead."
> 
> I would suggest everybody proceed with caution.  You never know.
> 
The thing that's long bothered me about this is that I can't see how 
bootlegs take away from record companies' business.  I had every official 
release (well, except for Hooligans) before I bought any imports of 
concerts, and it's not like anyone faced with the choice of $15 for L@L 
or $20 for Maximum BBC or Pure Rock Theathre or whatever wouldn't choose 
L@L.  Bootleggers supplement the official market, they don't replace it.

--LP.