Definitely. Back when I was four/five years old, the only way I found out about music was through in a local second hand store. They had a pretty big amount of hard rock tapes for five guilders (which was around 3 dollars and fifty cents) each. That way I found out about KISS, JUDAS PRIEST, SAXON, ASIA, JOURNEY, STYX etc. etc.

Especially with most indie labels having their own online stores, quite handy.

Definitely. Remember the times, before the interwebs, when labels had dists they sent through the mail? For every order you placed you had to give some alternatives, in case the CD/tape/LP you wanted was out of stock. Good times, good times.

He could go to a cybercafe

Well yes, that is exactly my method. Occasionally I come by a band out of the blue, but most of the time, it's by association to a band I like, a label I trust, a reviewer with similar taste. There's basically always list of bands and artists I'm going to get round to someday, but because I don't download stuff, they sit there waiting for me to stumble across the CD in a store and finally take that plunge. I guess the last artist I did that with was the composer Steve Reich.

While I'd rather you buy than download, I'm happy to have helped. Born Into Trouble is probably my favourite of the Silver Mt. Zions, "Could've Moved Mountains" is probably my favourite song of theirs, or at least up there with There's a River in the Valley Made of Melting Snow.

Casting Crowns, really good band.

Zoe

I didn't download it illegally, I got it from Emusic which is basically just Itunes by my aunt bought me a giftcard for it so I thought I may as well use it on this. Plus I'd have no clue where to look if I wanted to actually buy the physical form, the music stores around my town are awful. And yeah "Could've Moved Mountains" is great but I personally prefer "The Triumph of Our Tired Eyes" and "Tho You Are Gone I Still Often Walk With You". It's funny actually, I usually can't stand really long songs but that Godspeed You album I've just say with my headphones plugged to my head for the entire 80+ minutes. It's just amazing, miles away from what I liked a year ago when I started on the forum. It's so much more in depth and meaningful I think, so I'm not so afraid of listening to the big songs because it actually carries some emotional meaning rather than just being a catchy tune.

Well then I apologise for my assumption of evil piracy. Constellation Records would be the place to go for physical copies, and I certainly recommend Constellation's releases because they aren't shitty jewel cases, they're usually hand-designed cardstock cases, often with inserts. The CD of Born Into Trouble has a big fold out sheet with a long diatribe by vocalist Efrim Menuck, in his unique poetic style. Older constellation releases also have some interesting foil-embossing, die-cuts, all kinds of stuff. And when they send you a disc by mail order, they send a little thank you note. Being the collector that I am, I've saved all mine. Must have nearly ten of them by now, since I've amassed more than 30 of their releases (about half of what they've put out). Their vinyls are even more impressive, but I stick to the CDs.