Metallica owns those songs, they
belong to Metallica, and they are
fully in the right if they want to keep it that way. From what I understand of the situation there were people sending out parts of songs that Metallica hadn't even finished at the time. Now, I'm only a marginally
put-together writer, but if someone sent out versions of a story I hadn't even finished - even if it was to people who enjoy my writing, I would be
pissed.
Shadow, I think your idea of art is off. As an artist would want my work to be appreciated by as many people as possible - but I would want it to be mine. Maybe that's protozoan of me to think that way, but if I spent 40 hours to make a painting and then you photocopied it and gave it to anyone who wanted it, I would not be pleased. It would no longer be mine. When people see the art hung up or buy a print for themselves, they are giving me my due for creating the art, in essence they are paying me for work that I've done, just like any other working man. And finally, they are acknowledging that it is mine. Regardless of how much Metallica's made, their music is still as much theirs as this computer is mine.
And on the subject of corporate whores - that is what we all are. It's quite inescapable. Unless you buy your clothes from the neighborhood seamstress and drink out of a well, well then you're a whore as well. All these people who don't understand their own actions criticizing Metallica's are a little like Pol Pot calling the kettle black.