[Dixielandjazz] Mini Disc

[Bill Gunter]

Richard Stevens asks:

>Having just spent a few days recording a CD FOR SALE, I wonder how the 
>bands
>who played "LOTS of stuff" reacted to their work being recorded by festival
>goers. Were they asked? Is this common in your area?

There are some "it depends" in this area. Certainly if someone tapes or mini 
disc records a band and attempts later to produce commercial CDs from the 
recordings, that would be a great big "NO NO!"

However, such a thing is quite rare (not that it hasn't been done in the 
past) that generally we (the bands with which I've been associated) are 
pretty much unconcerned when it happens. Mostly I think we are pretty much 
unaware that these recordings are being made.

1. We're flattered that someone would want to tape us and listen to us at a 
later time.

2. The quality of such recordings is generally so poor that such things are 
not considered "serious" recordings.

3. Occasionally someone will send me a tape of something he has recorded in 
performance and I get to listen to what we did from a different perspective 
than from the middle of the musicians. It's usually embarrassing and 
invariably interesting to hear what we may have sounded like from "out 
front."

4. I've never considered such recordings a breach of ethics on the part of 
the recorder (unless they later attempt to use if for commercial gain).

5. I've never considered such recordings to be in competition with our 
commercially prepared recordings which we may be selling at the venue.

In summary, I have no objection to such recordings and, as rarely happens, 
somebody were to ask if it was ok I'd certainly say "go right ahead . . . 
you might even consider sending me a copy."

Respectfully submitted,

Bill Gunter

ps - I never have, and doubt that I ever will, expected that our recordings 
would bring in big bucks to the band . . . the sort of money that would let 
me buy that condo on Maui.  Should that ever happen, however, I might start 
to get nervous about Sony Walkman recorders at the gig.

BG