Quite right, Tone, a counterfeit is a counterfeit, is a counterfeit, no matter on what basis it is conceived. Were we talking about pharmaceuticals, designer labels, DVD's, games etc we would understand the effect on those that have legal rights to the income from their products, but there seems to be some opinion that suggests that just because the income trail ie royalties, may be dead, or at least not intact, the product is fair game. The full weight of the law should fall on those that perpetrate the acts, although we can assume that it will not be at the top of priorities for those that are responsible for taking such action.
On a connected matter, Tone perhaps you can impart your wisdom on those less knowledgable, as to how CD compilations are able to be put out, where the artists and labels concerned appear to have no common connection ie not part of a group of labels, or publishing group (unless that latter fact is not so apparent)
What I am getting at here, and this may have been previously discussed, CD's from various sources, of which I currently have 3 in front of me( and you can probably guess the source) do not refer to having licenced the tracks from any particular source. In one case the source is referred to as being from "original 45's". Is this "legal" and if so, how?