The DMCA bell did not toll for a beloved musician—thus, I could grieve him

Enlarge / Bass guitarist Mark Sandman and saxophonist Dana Colley in concert with their band Morphine in the ’90s. (credit: Getty Images / Tim Mosenfelder)

I’m a firm believer in the power of a live performance. A television broadcast or DVD doesn’t capture the same thing as a theatrical production or a concert. You gotta be there.

But what about when you can’t? What recourse is there when you’re in love with an artist or performer who you can’t physically interact with for any number of reasons?

I’ve thought about this for decades from a few perspectives: as a former full-time music critic; as a frequent chronicler of how information is presented and exchanged online; and perhaps most of all, as a music fan who had one freaking band slip through his hands.