Trading is okay, but not profit: Note that the word "bootleg" is sometimes used to refer to tapes that are traded for fun not profit. However, "bootleg" more commonly refers to sales of live Phish, particularly on disc. There is, of course, no shame against tape trading, but selling or purchasing bootlegged discs (for example) is selfish, illegal, and a threat to the tape trading enterprise and community. The word "bootleg" is an old, old word referring to illicit activity. If you're talking about tapes, which many bands, including Phish, allow and encourage, ain't nothing wrong with it -- but you may want to think about what you call it. As Matthew Cramer put it (5-2-96), "I caution ANYONE who is planning on taping any kind of show, and has to deal with the management, not to use the word 'bootleg'. First of all, it conjures up images of illegal overpriced LP's and CD's made in the ECC. Secondly, if [the band] allows it, it isn't a bootleg. I know it is semantics, but when dealing with some of the management people you have to be careful what you say." The discs, they're bootlegged. No other word quite for it.

Bootlegs are selfish and illegal: The band and Elektra have been kind enough to allow us to tape shows legitimately, and this should be the means of enjoying this great music. The bootleg discs are illegally produced and imported (mostly from Italy). Neither the band nor Elektra receives any profit for the discs, which are a blatent copyright infringement. This alone should be enough to disuade any real Phish fan from this purchase.

Bootlegs threaten access to tapes: In at least one specific case, the availability of illegal bootleg Cds has meant restricted ability of phans to record high quality copies of a show. Ultimately, continued availability of bootlegged discs may end phan taping priveleges altogether.

Bootlegs often suck: Above all, it is unlikely that an illegal disc can top the sound quality of tapes, because of the crummy sounding tapes they start with. For every disc netters have seen available, higher quality copies are available, often as the result of one of more tape trees being run of high quality tapes of the same material.

Just plain dumb: As Bill Shaw explained (11/9/98 post to digiphish), "The best thing we can do is spread the music far and wide. Scumbags will always get copies one way or another. The fact that they were there in person makes it a little more, um, personal, but as long as we as tapers try to get good copies out into the general digital and analog trading pools that should alleviate a lot of "demand" for their 'product.' Of course you can put a price tag on anything and someone else will buy it. Try to give it away for free, forget it. Put a price on it, people want it. Go figure."

Wrong titles: One acceptable use of bootlegs is for in-store giggles. Incorrect titles include Hell is Coming (for Halley's Comet), Skyball and Saxscrapers (for Simple), Laugh and Fall Apart (Sparkle), Loving Boulevard (Sparkle), Chicken Sub in Your Hand (Golgi Apparatus), Don't Take Another Step (Julius), Easy Bag (AC/DC Bag), That Far Gone (I Didn't Know ), Maybe So Maybe Not (Stash). Ugly Pig (Guyute), You Won't Steal My Tape Recorder (Poor Heart), On A Sunny Day (Weigh), Swimming By (Theme From The Bottom). Thanks to Bill Shaw, Josh Rude, and for their posts.

See also:

• eTree Anti-Bootlegging Policy
• Tapers Against Bootleg Sales (TABS)

Thanks also to Pharmer Pete.