Official release?

["L. Bird" <pkeets@hotmail.com>]

The more I think about this, the more interesting the question gets.  Here's 
the full item from alt.music.who, from a poster named "Bill." Doug's points 
are about the "inferior" mp3 format and the lack of artwork for the price.

>Doug makes great points.  I'm amazed that there are people upset with the 
>idea of trading the MP3-sourced soundboard.  They seem to be claiming that 
>it's somehow an "official" release.  It's no more official than the other 
>MP3's he's released; the ONLY exception is a charge for this particular set 
>of files.  Most of these same people had/have no problem trading for 
>out-of-print legitimate releases.  If they are SO worried about pirating, 
>these would be out of the question as well.


Since the Denver files are not issued on cd, should they be considered to be 
"in print" as long as they're available for download?  Should they be 
considered to be "in print" at all?

Does the fact that Pete has posted this show with ED's (but likely not 
MCA's) approval make it more of an "official" release than the free mp3s he 
(apparently) posted on his own initiative?

Does the fact that these downloads are priced make them more of an 
"official" release?  Is that the criterion, or is it the fact that they've 
come from Pete/TED?  Do releases have to come from a label to be "official?"

What Doug says about the out-of-print releases is pretty pointed, too.  Fans 
are pretty lax about trading these.  Plus, there's a strong tendency to copy 
and distribute any release that's not immediately available in one's local 
market, the most recent being the WHO'S NEXT DVD which was issued in the UK 
before the US.  The justification, of course, is that it's a mistake not to 
make these products immediately and constantly available.

What makes a release "official?"  It's clear that Doug hasn't considered 
Pete's previously posted mp3s to be official/and or legitimate.  Obviously 
other folks haven't either, as we've seen them collected and offered for 
sale on eBay.  So what are Pete's downloadable releases?  Bootlegs?


keets


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