Hi Ritzi, think I fall foul of two of your worries.

I've been playing techno for around ten years and I now no longer buy any vinyl. My love affair has ended, and now I just get narked with the sound quality and the obscene costs of each record. I took out a loan and bought final scratch, and I now buy stacks of MP3s each month as its the only way I can stay in the scene on my budget.

If I had more money I would probably buy the odd record, failing that I get them off soulseek until such a time comes that I can buy them legitimately on mp3.

I've always hated "exclusive" scenes. Good music is meant to be listened to, not hoarded in the collections of the elite IMO. Used to be into to D&B, where djs make a living out of being upfront whilst having little to no technical skill or creativity. Far too many hangers-on in D&B, and the only way they manage it is through their "exclusive" access to new records. Techno will always have a certain exclusivity simply by not being pitched at the mainstream. I don't think legions of britney fans are suddenly going to make the switch...

People are starting to pay for music again, legal downloads are soaring - the fact that people stopped paying was more a case of the industry getting caught out and not having a business or distribution model ready for digital. It was never that people refused to pay, more that it was quicker and easier to steal than to pay. With stealing being the easier option , why buy? Thankfully this is being redressed and its now getting much easier to pay than steal.

Just a few thoughts...