[Dixielandjazz] Re: Copyrights

[TCASHWIGG at aol.com]

In a message dated 1/28/05 9:47:04 AM Pacific Standard Time, 
tubaman at batnet.com writes:

> 
> In a related area of tracking radio air-play, the RIAA (along with 
> ASCAP/BMI - I guess) wants every station to provide something like 17 
> pieces of information about EVERY song played! Not just the artist, 
> track and album name - they wanted release dates, sidemen, publisher 
> and all sorts of other "useful" data. The AFM supports this reporting 
> (it is often mentioned in the national newsletter) but I don't see how 
> it will really help the average union member.
> 
> Those of you who are in to discography know how hard it is to come up 
> with this sort of information - most major label CDs don't  provide it 
> and older music in our library certainly does not have the information. 
>  A lot of the music we get at KFJC is self-published or produced in 
> other countries. It would take a staff of people (that we don't have) 
> to document and report to the RIAA. We, along with a few other 
> non-commercial stations petitioned the RIAA for relief and now we just 
> pay a minimal "non-reporting fee." The chances of any RIAA money 
> actually getting to most of the musicians we play are infinitesimal!
> 
> Dave Richoux

Well spoken Dave,  

And shows exactly how they extort monies form all stations and other venues 
with the pay us what we ask or agree to take or we will sue you for your shirt 
and put you out of business.

If all the stations would get together and tell them to shove it and go back 
to just logging every song they play and let them spend their own money to 
come in and see or copy the list rather than have the burden placed on the 
station to do their accounting for them and pay for it as well.

Quite frankly the organizations just do not earn their own money and their 
formulas are up their collective noses in many cases.

To show you just how well they work, in Europe I am often presented with a 
sheet to fill out by some royalty collection stiff, who usually knows absolutely 
nothing except get the money.  They want me to fill out a three or four page 
document listing all the songs we played and the composer and publisher, etc., 
which is pure Bull Pucky, no touring act that plays a wide variety of music 
can possibly sit down and do that right after a show.

I simply carry a printed set list of tunes that we play and hand them a copy 
and sign their stupid form and tell them to go fill it out themselves with the 
provided information.

I have actually done shows with every song on the program written by one of 
the band members and filled out papers on the entire tour with him listed as 
the songwriter, copyright holder, arranger, etc., and even asked the royalty guy 
to for once go collect the money from the venue or promoter and give it to 
the musician while he is there.  ha ha ha  ROTFLOL

They simply say oh no we cannot do that we must take the money to our offices 
and have it go through the proper accounting procedures for disbursement, he 
will get a royalty check in the mail soon.

Well, I buried that artist last year, and I can assure you he NEVER EVER got 
one check from any association in the thirty years that I knew him.

ASCAP is the IRS of the music Business, and BMI is the Franchise Tax Board, 
SESAC has been ordained to collect it's monies for God no doubt.  Ask Dorothy 
Morrison how much money she got in Royalties for her Million + selling "Oh 
Happy Day."

She makes her living as a Hair Dresser in Richmond, Ca. 


I have also sat and made up song titles and listed myself as the composer 
arranger, etc., and listed my publishing co. record label address, etc., and 
turned it in to them.  I have Never seen a check either or even an acknowledgment 
of them receiving any royalties at all.

Cheers,

Tom Wiggins