[Dixielandjazz] RE: BMI & ASCAP MAFIA

[Fred Spencer]

How do the "licensed " buskers in New York City meet the edicts of ASCAP and
BMI? Tax/license money, part or all? Our trio once started to play in front
of the IBM building and were moved on sharply by one of their security
guards. We schlepped to the bottom of Central Park and made $!9.00, which
almost paid for the parking (this was in the 1980s) and 75 Italian lira
which didn't buy anything! Cheers.
Fred
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "G. William Oakley" <gwilliamoakley at earthlink.net>
To: <TCASHWIGG at aol.com>
Cc: "DJML" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Friday, July 09, 2004 3:12 PM
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] RE: BMI & ASCAP MAFIA


> Well said. And bravo with a couple of huzzahs for good measure.
> Best,
> Bill
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: <TCASHWIGG at aol.com>
> To: <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
> Sent: Thursday, July 08, 2004 11:20 PM
> Subject: [Dixielandjazz] RE: BMI & ASCAP MAFIA
>
>
> >
> > Hi Folks:
> >
> > Here is an article I just found in the local San Francisco Paper today.
> >
> > "Todd Chapman of JMA Properties called the newspaper on Wednesday to say
> he
> > hopes the street musicians will be back at Ghirardelli Square by the end
> of the
> > month.  The reason the company had to put a halt to the performances was
> that
> > his company needs to obtain a license to allow the musicians to perform
in
> > keeping with the RULES of ASCAP and BMI, which protect the composers of
> material
> > performed.  "It is our intent to continue" the outdoor shows he said.
> >
> > Now keep in mind that these Street musicians are musicians who cannot
find
> > any legitimate paid gigs in San Francisco so they have resorted to
playing
> on
> > the street in and around the Square where tourists go for tips.
> >
> > The bastards at ASCAP and BMI have absolutely No Shame in extorting
money
> > from anyone they can.  play music in front of any company and the
> shameless
> > bastards will sue  the company for royalties that the company has
> absolutely
> > Nothing to do with.   (They are not hiring musicians and or telling them
> where or
> > when or what to play, so therefore why should they be held responsible
to
> pay
> > for free activities on the street in and around their business by
private
> > entrepreneurs trying to make a living.)  If ASCAP and BMI want to
collect
> money then
> > they should actually in fact be dealing with the musicians, and having
> them
> > fill out the paperwork and paying for any royalties they might actually
be
> > owing for tunes they are playing (If Any) and the burden of proof should
> be on
> > ASCAP and BMI not the individual usually homeless (or very near it)
> musician
> > trying to make enough money to stay alive.
> >
> > You want to find gigs, exterminate these two organizations and you might
> see
> > live music come back.
> >
> > So all you wannabe songwriters out there writing all those Original
songs
> and
> > signing up with them for royalty collection pay attention.  They are not
> > protecting you they are stifiling you and any income you might ever
expect
> to get
> > and diverting all that they do collect into their own greedy pockets for
> > administrative salaries and lawsuits.
> >
> > It is indeed time for musicians to stand up and fight back and take back
> the
> > handling of their own business before it is too late and there will
never
> be
> > live gigs again to support any of you.
> >
> > It is high time for musicians to lose the phrase in their vocabulary
"Can
> you
> > HELP ME the starving Musician" ??
> >
> > Get off you lazy butts and do it yourself and tell these folks who are
> always
> > willing to help you if they see you might actually have some income
> coming,
> > by collecting your money for you and keeping it all.
> >
> > Personally folks I have been wearing stainless steel underwear for many
> years
> > and don''t play by their rules at all so I have no fear of bending over
in
> > their imminent presence.
> >
> > Cheers,
> >
> > Tom Wiggins
> >
> > Stirring the Pot again.
> >
> >  Like the Marines "Looking for a few good men or women to stink bomb
ASCAP
> > and the BMI Headquarters till they all go away"    I will soon start a
> baby
> > skunk breeding farm and will have babies available for distribution to
all
> their
> > offices in about six months.   It may not put them out of buisiness but
at
> > least you can smell them coming and pack up and find another corner.
> >
> > I can't promise you 76 vestal virgins or even that you will get laid at
> all,
> > but we could sure slow them down a bit and give them something else to
do
> with
> > their time while we go out and manufacture some gigs.
> > _______________________________________________
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> > Dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com
> > http://ml.islandnet.com/mailman/listinfo/dixielandjazz
> >
>
>
>
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