Death to the Record Label?

So it's not earth-shattering news that the traditional system of delivering music is stumbling toward a freshly dug grave.

It took about half a century for musicians to catch on, but they have finally come to the conclusion that they are getting screwed big time by the major labels (smaller record labels are the exception, as many discover these bands, nurture them for years and watch some jackass A&R guy from Warner walk into the club with ironed jeans and a FallOut boy t-shirt and walk out with the band). They come up with the songs, write 'em, record 'em, cram into a van filled with stale farts and pop tarts and tour the country for about two years, collect a check for a few thousand bucks and do it all over again, while some douche from the record label takes a moment from counting his money to remind the band how lucky they are to be doing what they're doing (cue the maniacal laughter and thunder clap).

In a recent letter, hardcore vet and Throwdown front man David Peters claims that buying CDs actually encourage the current system to keep on keepin on.

"I encourage our fans to acquire our album however they please. The philosophy I’ve adopted is that if you’re supporting disc sales, you’re 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."

Great thought, but that brings up a larger question: Once the current system crashes and all label heads lose their jobs, who's going to buy all the coke and hookers? Tom Sizemore?