WHY YOU SHOULDN'T BUY BOOTLEG

Its attractive, available and cheaper. They are available everywhere in most Urban areas. The Bootleg: Movies, Music and Comedy Concerts. They are mass produced illegally and sold at less than half the cost charged in the stores or on line. Why shouldn't you partake? Everyone likes a good bargain. Here are three reasons you shouldn't buy Bootleg.

YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR
You never know the quality of the item when you're buying Bootleg. Yes, you got it at a deep discount. But is it really a discount if you have to replace it over and over again? Most of those folding table retailers don't have a return policy if the sound or video quality is poor, or non existent. With the advent of digital music and access to directors cut of certain movies, the quality of Bootleg has improved over the past twenty years. You probably wont find the tops of other theatre-goers heads in your Bootleg movie anymore. But quality can still be an issue. If you cant return, exchange or get a refund when things go wrong, your hard earned money is lost and you may have to repurchase. Go on and buy it once, online or at a Big Box store and save yourself the headache.

THEY'RE ALL GONNA LAUGH AT YOU
Yes. You are correct. Artists only get a minuscule amount of money spent on music and concert films. They make the bulk of their money when they are in concert live. However, they may never make it to perform a concert in your city if too many of you are buying Bootleg.

Record companies, Movie houses, Concert Halls all pay attention to sales of artists' work. legitimate sales. There is no way to calculate the number of Bootleg sales for an artist. So, there is no way to predict how many fans there are. As a result, Record companies, Movie houses and Concert Halls have no reason to schedule concerts, comedy tour dates or an actor's next movie in your city. You and all your buddies, your whole city, in fact, may love your favorite artist. But without hardcore sales in your city, the folks booking that artist's shows may feel that "the Market doesn't support it." Your favorite artist, comedian and/ or film may bypass your city completely. Stop travelling two hours on a Greyhound to see your favorite artist. Bring their numbers up. Buy their work from a legitimate retailer in your city.

GOOD ARTISTS SHOULD EAT TOO
Lets face it. There's a lot of junk out there. Bad rap music, degrading movies, mediocre comedians. Where's the good stuff? Maybe you know a good local or underground artist who has to work part time at a mind numbing job just to keep his or her dream alive. Put your money where your heart is. Support your favorite artist.

You spend hundreds of dollars on things that don't make you happy. Set aside a little for that concert ticket, that comedy show. Go see the movie on the first Friday its released. Take a few friends. The first weekend box office sales are the only ones counted by movie theaters and movie producers. Make sure your dollars are counted in that first weekend. If a film doesn't make money that first weekend, the next film by that actor or filmmaker may not make it to your city. The box office take (or lack there of) may indicate that there is a lack of sufficient fan base for that artist to return to your city.

This is especially important for new and independent artists. These artists may not have the large scale promotion machine behind them, so their fan base, and their income, has to come from the grassroots. Just getting booked at a medium-sized arena is a major feat for a new or independent artist. Your support of such an artist is more direct and appreciated. Stop wasting money on a Bootleg of a singer, comedian, actor or filmmaker you kinda sorta like. Spend your hard earned cash on a legitimate, CD, DVD, MP3, concert ticket or movie ticket for an artist you love.

Let's Be Careful Out There.