HiDee Brother Ken.

Back in the Vinyl Days it wasn't Such A Problem...ya play the record, it wears out/ya buy Another if ya Like It That Much.

Records were relatively-cheap to make/cheap to buy. Fortunes were made.

Then came Reel-to-Reel Tape. (& FM Music Stations.) Music still sold well-enough for the Artists & Writers to eat-regularly. BUT every blank Cassette/Reel-to-Reel ya buy, you're ALSO paying a Surcharge that BMI & ASCAP divide-up & pay out to the Above-Mentioned Folks who are BEHIND what get's Taped & Pirated.

So NOW you've got all SORTS of ways to Pirate Music. Does that make Piracy any Different? Yep, YOU can hear it FREE in Bars & Elevators...BUT those Bars & Elevator Folks ARE Paying for the "Free" Use you made of it/Artists & Writers ARE Getting Paid for Their Wares.

You CAN play every CD & Download ya buy for a fair-sized Audience of..perhaps..Friends &/or Family Members. (& the Creator of that Music/Owner of that Copyright HOPES some of them, too, might just BUY a copy..too!) But the minute you play it for a (say) Dance Hall Crowd..with PAYING Customers...EXPECT to get a Visit from the Kind Folks at BMI or ASCAP whose JOB it IS to enforce your Paying For "Fair Use" of that Creation.

& the first Copy ya SELL someone..shame on ya. &..just to remind ya IF ya have a Conscience...EVERY COPY ya give away (Free) COSTS some Artist/Writer a wee-bitta DESERVED Income, too.

OF Course You CAN Get Away with it. Probably Millions of people DO..Yearly. What bugs me is you want to LEGITIMIZE It.

I neither Copy nor Download Files. I buy 2nd-hand CDs at the Local Flea Market. BUT..at least the Artist & Writers GOT their Loot when the CD got Originally-SOLD/My Conscience is clear.

Improved Technology is NO excuse for Defective Morality.

All JMO, of course!
Best Wishes,
Stan