CHEVELLE Frontman Says Illegal Downloading Has Its Good Side

According to The Pulse Of Radio, CHEVELLE frontman Pete Loeffler said in an interview with Ultimate-Guitar.com that the rampant illegal file-sharing which has contributed to the decline of the traditional music business has had its positive side. Loeffler explained, "I guess I don't like the fact that it is in our human nature to steal things like music, and I wish we could change that. But one good thing that has happened is that there was a change that needed to be made as artists have always been taken advantage of . . . where now if you can, you can start on your own and do it on your own and that is a good thing for artists. And that's one of good things to come out of the whole file sharing thing."

Although it is not the sole cause, illegal downloading has contributed to the slow death of CD sales. Very few records sell one million copies, a number that was commonplace as little as 10 years ago.

Drummer Sam Loeffler told The Pulse Of Radio that he thinks fans still love to listen to music even if they don't buy CDs like they used to. "I think the passion and excitement is still there, without a doubt, and music's one of those things that — only poets read poetry, but everyone listens to music, you don't have to be a musician," he said. "And that excitement, it will always be there, I think."

CHEVELLE's latest album, "Hats Off To The Bull", has sold 99,000 copies since coming out in December and sits at No. 72 on the Billboard album chart. The first single, "Face To The Floor", is No. 1 on Active Rock radio.

The band recently announced the dates and venues for a new headlining U.S. tour that will kick off on February 24 in Grand Rapids, Michigan and wrap up a little over three weeks later on March 16 in Oklahoma City.