Yes, Bill, that's it exactly. I might add that it isn't ours to give away either, and it is a mistake to think that giving away material not currently available on a CD or video does no harm. The choice to do that is the rights owner's, Gord's in the case of most of his recordings. He might well think that if someone has a bootleg copy of (say) the Albany concert, a TV broadcast, or the Two Tones album, then that person might not buy something he chooses to release in the future. Whether he is right or wrong in thinking that (assuming he does), it is his decision and not ours. Furthermore, when material is put up on a publically available web site, others with fewer scruples just might decide to sell it on a home manufactured CD or video. There is a fancy looking "CD" that is sold periodically on Ebay and Yahoo that contains audio recordings that were traded by devoted GL fans just like all of us. Matthew, I know you are trying to others here a favor, but it is very risky because bootleggers lurk on sites like Corfid as a source of free rarities.
I'll get off my soapbox. I don't really care what people do privately, but I suggest that you all rethink how publically you want to share the material and consider what Gord might think of it. It is fair to say he wouldn't like it.
And, Watchman, I resent that remark about the "elite" members of this site. And who is that? Anyone who has spoken to Gord more times than you have? Yes, I have spoken to him many times now, but I am still just a fan who happens to have a web site designed to showcase his music. He knows me and I think he appreciates what I have done, but he also appreciates each and every fan. Most of the fans who have been lucky enough to meet Gord and his band don't think of themselves as "elite" or special; just damn lucky.
Valerie Magee and Cathy Cowette (as a result of many discussions)
Visit my GL web site at
www.gordonlightfoot.com and Cathy's site at
www.cathycowette.com