Why not be called Music Archaeologists, or Curators?
A pretty sizable number of swappers (count me in) unearth, rediscover, keep alive, show respect, to many long forgotten quality artists, music that industry fat cats either ignore altogether, or take for ages pondering how to maximize profits reissuing, while mistreating the creators as nothing more than a nuisance on the way to get there.
That music is CULTURE, more often than not a snapshot of a time, that's not available in any other way (Think along the lines of blues & jazz), and which is vital to any generational transition, transfer of customs, and acknowledgment and preservation of roots.
They can even call all us Radio Restorers, and that would be also ok.
Mp3s replace the choice and variety lost in radio. No payola here, only whatever acceptance the artist can get on behalf of his/her artistry.
Any music available through cable has better quality (FM 30-15 khz), so the argument that we steal with lower quality mp3s, while being able to record for peanuts high quality FM sound, makes for a poor argument when trying to call us pirates.
Maybe the quality of mainstream music is a snapshot of the moments we're living as a nation today, but sure as hell, I'm not ready to give up my archaeological ways.
YET.
PS: Another dead ringer:
http://www.napsterites.net/undergrou...threadid=14765