Totally agree with you.
It was the way they went about it back then that pissed everyone off and led to even more piracy. They had a right to be pissy about it, but man did they really get pissy.
” but man did they really get pissy”
They went after the end users, those who downloaded.
You know, the thieves.
Entirely appropriate.
And every band successful enough to actually get a CD/Album deal thanks them to this day. As do all of us who want higher art to be accessible.
If these guys can’t get paid, they won’t produce it. They’ll be plumbers instead.