I am a criminal. I am aware of this. It has been pointed out to me by the RIAA, among others. I am ashamed.
When and where did this begin, this life of crime? I kinda recall as a teen a new product hit the marketplace, and I broke out in a sweat. I saw before me a stereo, and in this stereo, built right in, was a cassette tape recorder. And to my delight and surprise, I could tape a song right off the radio if I chose. Stealing, yes, a precursor to downloading off of my computer many years later.
I believe I am not alone in my criminality. There were coconspirators. RCA, Emerson, Magnavox, to name a few. We gleefully "stole" music from the RIAA and ASCAP, not to mention the very artists who made the sounds that made my heart race.
I couldn't help myself, I didn't even stop to think what I was doing...poor starving Rolling Stones, or The Beatles, whose coffers were deprived of my teenage allowance money. How was I to know they would wind up impoverished, skeletal entities roaming the streets looking for food.
I apologize here and now, and in the future, I promise not to do it again.
Honestly.I won't. I promise. I'm sorry.
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