Dubstep proclaims itself to be the bass music of the future. But if file-sharing-friendly producers such as wobble-bass pioneer Bassnectar are any indication — not to mention the increasingly cyborg evolution of mankind — the future might damn well be now.
Technology blog Techdirt recently ran a feature about Mr. Nectar (AKA Lorin Ashton), exploring the artist's stated download policy when it comes to his music. Ashton plays digital music for a digital audience, so you best believe that bassheads from Great Britain to Get Low are downloading that shit like they need it to stay alive. And guess what? They probably do! You ever seen a bass junkie kicking a habit? Not a pretty sight.
Like any artist, Bassnectar prefers that people pay him for his music. But as a futuristic dubstepper, he also recognizes downloading as an inevitability, and offers a reasonable one-two response: (1) If fans are going to download your record before it comes out, reward the patient few with special features and exclusives on the official release, and (2) there is no stopping the runaway train that is music pirating.
So, artists, get fucking used to it. And, fans, if you download it and you don't like it, you beat the system! But if you dig it, would you mind kicking a brother some spare change?
