Straight edge hardcore unit Throwdown have politely asked their fans to steal their music. Front-man Dave Peters wrote a letter to music industry watchdog Bob Lefsetz (author of "The Lefsetz Letter) that asked fans to basically pinch Throwdowns music, making the move for a supportive act towards file-sharing and defying the textbook definition of the word "theft in relation to the music industrys limits.
In the statement, Peters wrote: "We have sold around 200k records across 3 releases. Were not huge by any stretch but do alright and live off (and ON subsequently) the road. Fans and friends ask me all the time how I feel about "stealing music." I just told someone yesterday "I have a hard time seeing it as stealing when I dont see any money from cd sales to begin with. What are they actually TAKING from me?
If you want to squeeze an opinion on theft out of me, ask me about the dude that grabbed our tshirt off the table tonight in Detroit or better yet.. ask me about record contracts.
I encourage our fans to acquire our album however they please. The philosophy Ive adopted is that if youre supporting disc sales, youre keeping the old model around longer the one that forces dudes like me to tour 9 mos/year if they want to make ends meet with a career in music. If you wanna really support a band, "steal" their album .help bury the label .and buy a tshirt when you show up at their show and sing every word.
After a summer on the Vans Warped tour, Throwdown arent struggling for fans and are looking to reward them with free music. The band have sold nearly 200,000 records and much of the proceeds have yet to trickle into their own pockets. They have called their fans into action taking a stance against the music industry, in hopes that other bands follow suit in order to raise serious talks surrounding file sharing and the sales of CDs.
Throwdown "Forever
In the statement, Peters wrote: "We have sold around 200k records across 3 releases. Were not huge by any stretch but do alright and live off (and ON subsequently) the road. Fans and friends ask me all the time how I feel about "stealing music." I just told someone yesterday "I have a hard time seeing it as stealing when I dont see any money from cd sales to begin with. What are they actually TAKING from me?
If you want to squeeze an opinion on theft out of me, ask me about the dude that grabbed our tshirt off the table tonight in Detroit or better yet.. ask me about record contracts.
I encourage our fans to acquire our album however they please. The philosophy Ive adopted is that if youre supporting disc sales, youre keeping the old model around longer the one that forces dudes like me to tour 9 mos/year if they want to make ends meet with a career in music. If you wanna really support a band, "steal" their album .help bury the label .and buy a tshirt when you show up at their show and sing every word.
After a summer on the Vans Warped tour, Throwdown arent struggling for fans and are looking to reward them with free music. The band have sold nearly 200,000 records and much of the proceeds have yet to trickle into their own pockets. They have called their fans into action taking a stance against the music industry, in hopes that other bands follow suit in order to raise serious talks surrounding file sharing and the sales of CDs.
Throwdown "Forever
