[Dixielandjazz] Re: Copyrights

[Bill Haesler]

Dear Rocky, Tom, Steve (and all the others involved in this thread),
Mention has been made of three organizations claiming to collect royalties
on behalf of the composers in the US.
ASCAP, BMI and SESAC.
Does that mean there are three separate sets of performance fees for each
establishment, record label or radio station?
Or have they divided the territory up between themselves?
We have similar, but seemingly less draconian, situation here in Oz.
AMCOS and APRA.
Copyright payments for use of recorded tunes and performance fee payments
for music played in live venues (even at picnics).
The onus is generally on the performers to provide the required information.
We also have the same attitude that you have.
How dare they!
We too wonder where the collected money goes as too few of our jazz
composers ever get more than a pittance, if anything, and certainly not
enough to live on.
Although not strictly OKOM, the book 'Stiffed. A True Story of MCA, the
Music Business and the Mafia' by William Knoedelsender (1993. Harper
Collins), although frightening, is well worth a read.
I assume Knoedelsender is not his real name. Otherwise he is probably now
the late Mr Knoedelsender.
Unfortunately the cut-off date for the book is 1990, but the saga has
continued. I have collected some subsequent news items on the mentioned
Messrs Gigante (The Chin) and the late John Gotti. Interesting stuff.
Kind regards,
Bill. 
PS: We had the 50-year performance UK/Europe copyright rule, mentioned by
Dick Broadie, up until 1st January 2005.
However, following our current Prime Minister's rush to sign a Free Trade
Agreement with the US, we are now bound by their rules with regard to all
things involving music and 'the arts'. (Not to mention agriculture, meat,
industry and such things.)
I am trying to get a SIMPLE explanation of what is now involved with the
music copyright situation, but am not holding my breath.
I suspect that it will not be good for jazz here.
Perhaps we should stop this thread here, before we get into trouble. Again.
Bill.