It's that time of the year again, schools, colleges and university have started a new term, summer's over and the weather's turned British (wet and windy) and it gets dark quicker! But I'm not here to write about the weather so lets get on with it. (By DJ FRITZ)

Downloading or "sharing" music across the super information highway has been in full flow for a number of years now, with literally thousands of sites on the net.

Initially when the early pioneers of such sites like Napster sprang up, the major music corporations ignored them.

It wasn't until it had started to affect sales that most music executives realized they couldn't just sit back and ignore it.

They quickly began legal action to try to close these sites down. At it's height Napster being the biggest and most well known had up to a million users logged on and down loading worldwide.

Napster was eventually shut down but it hasn't stopped copycat sites springing up. Today the problem is bigger than ever with thousands of sites still operating.

Some music corporations have embraced the medium and have opened their own sites where you can legally download music for a small charge.

The internet really is a double-edged sword depending on where you are in the music industry.

If you are an artist you can release your music on the net and access a potential audience of millions.

You can constructively utilize the net as a powerful marketing and promotional medium and increase awareness about you and your music.

But if you are a label who has invested thousands in an artist you want the consumer to go and purchase the product.

So as you can evaluate the internet has more pros for an artist but not for the labels. Okay I know what you all are thinking, the labels have got loads of money so it's not going to affect them but believe me it does.

Asian record labels are not multi million pound corporations and downloads affect them much more than the mainstream labels, and can seriously affect the funding of future artists...SO STOP IT.

Yes I know it's easy and you don't have to venture out off your cosy bedroom and walk to the shop but you know what try it. And spend some of your money on your very own music industry instead of on the latest designer gear!

Till next time peace and love