Illegal Downloads

I must be a bad internet user. I hear from the "old media", that illegal music downloads are ruining the music industry. (I hear from the libertarian old media that illegal music downloads are revitalizing the music industry. *Shrug*.) I have not, however, been able to illegally download music. Not that I've tried looking very hard, since most music isn't very good, but I have no idea how I would do it if I suddenly was pricked by the music bug.

Do you search Google for "illegal music downloads?" Is there some software you have to download, or some big semi-commercial website that everybody knows about but me? I don't download music, but I've tried, now and then, to download computer games. Except for the ones that have been released into the public domain, it seems like it can't be done. I suppose it's the same basic idea: Files that The Man doesn't want you to have, but you want anyway. Can someone out there give me some tips on illegal file downloading? I promise this is not a honeypot blog.

On a related note, you might want to look at this website. A bunch of unguarded music, right out there in the open. Some of it is pretty good. I'm not sure what Mr. Zander's angle is, but I also don't want to look a gift horse in the mouth. It probably has something to do with the fact that this is a *youth* orchestra. The reviews on that page say they are adequate for "distracted listeners," and there's no listener more distracted than me, so go ahead and give some support to the 12-year old Asian violinists. They make you look bad!