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Originally Posted by khouri

There's no question we're taking a step -- if not several steps -- back.

In the long long-ago, you could go to Amazon or CDNOW or even a tangible music store, find the item you wanted, buy it for a decent price (even an import), and enjoy it whatever fashion you liked -- buy it, burn it, rip it, jam it, as the saying goes.

Here in the future, you have to go to pointlessly specific places with almost uniformly shitty interfaces and pay some stupid amount for some dubious file that may or may not be exclusive to that digital source, which means going elsewhere to complete the collection; or you have to scramble to translate a complex Japanese website or stalk eBay auctions and pay out your ass for something that 15 years ago was so easy to obtain.

What Underworld have missed is that iTunes and Amazon's digital music stores are successful in large part because they make it easier to buy music than to hunt down pirated versions. What we're seeing is a script-flip, where it's less hassle to just wait until all the material is available for free, and it's a vexing philosophy Underworld have been practicing in since they went fully indie.

I know I say this a lot but I think it bears repeating: Underworld have a dedicated fanbase who are often literally begging to pay the band money for things, and the band is making it incredibly difficult for us to do that.

you'll be getting accused of getting your panties in a twist if you're not careful.

(100% agree with your thoughts)