[Dixielandjazz] ASCAP & Public Domain

[Stephen G Barbone]

How do you defeat the ASCAP tune detectives?

I have never lost a gig because of ASCAP tune detectives. And I've  
played at least 2700 in the last 15 years. Basically because I have a  
list of PD tunes and when a venue gets hassled by ASCAP because of  
Barbone Street, I break out my PD list, show it to the tune detective  
and play those songs.

How do you develop a list?  SIMPLE

1) Go to this site:  http://www.pdinfo.com/list.php

2) Click on the "PD Popular Song Hits" sentence below the alphabet.

3) Highlight the list and copy it. You will get a readout like that  
below. There are about 430 songs, (the popular song hits from 1900  
through 1922) on it of which at least 150 are Dixieland good old good  
ones. It gives you the Name, the date it was a hit, and the price of  
the sheet music should you need to buy it. The company make a lot of  
money selling PD sheet music. They are no fools.

Songs on it include Avalon, Bedelia, Bill Bailey, Aunt Hagar's Blues,  
Baby Won't You Please Come Home, Blues My Naughty Sweetie, Ballin The  
Jack, Back Home Again in Indiana, Basin Street Blues, Beale; Street  
Blues, Yellow Dog Blues, Careless Love, Chicago, Curse of an Aching  
Heart, Dardanella, Darktown Strutters Ball, Georgia, etc., etc.  
Showing my list to the song police has ALWAYS worked for me, and for  
our venues.

Any band leader should be able to develop a comprehensive PD song list  
for gigs policed by the ASCAP tune detectives.

Bear in mind that the ASCAP police may try and back you down, but  
don't roll over. Tell them to get lost or you'll sic Guido on them.  
Works for us, but then we have 3 Italians in the band who know Guido  
personally. One time, he backed down Buddy Rich for a large debt owed  
to one of us, by making Buddy an offer he couldn't refuse, but that  
another story.<grin>

Excerpt of that popular tune list, all in Public Domain, below: If you  
cannot copy it to your computer, write me off list and I will forward  
the entire 430+ songs in the below format.


The Aba Daba Honeymoon Song Hit of 1914 1 - 3   $5.00 Each
4 +     $4.00 Each

After You've Gone Song Hit of 1918 1 - 3   $5.00 Each
4 +     $4.00 Each

Ah! Sweet Mystery of Life Song Hit of 1910 1 - 3   $5.00 Each
4 +     $4.00 Each

Ain't We Got Fun Song Hit of 1921 1 - 3   $5.00 Each
4 +     $4.00 Each

Alexander's Ragtime Band Song Hit of 1911 1 - 3   $5.00 Each
4 +     $4.00 Each

Alice Blue Gown Song Hit of 1919 1 - 3   $5.00 Each
4 +     $4.00 Each

All Alone Song Hit of 1911 1 - 3   $5.00 Each
4 +     $4.00 Each

All By Myself Song Hit of 1921 1 - 3   $5.00 Each
4 +     $4.00 Each

Allah's Holiday Song Hit of 1916 1 - 3   $5.00 Each
4 +     $4.00 Each

Alt Wien Song Hit of 1920 1 - 3   $5.00 Each
4 +     $4.00 Each

Always Leave Them Laughing When You Say Goodbye Song Hit of 1903 1 -
3   $5.00 Each
4 +     $4.00 Each

Anchors Aweigh Song Hit of 1906 1 - 3   $5.00 Each
4 +     $4.00 Each

Any Little Girl, That's a Nice Little Girl Song Hit of 1910 1 - 3
$5.00 Each
4 +     $4.00 Each

Any Time Song Hit of 1921 1 - 3   $5.00 Each
4 +     $4.00 Each

April Showers Song Hit of 1921 1 - 3   $5.00 Each
4 +     $4.00 Each

Are You From Dixie, 'Cause I'm From Dixie Too Song Hit of 1915 1 -
3   $5.00 Each
4 +     $4.00 Each

At Dawning Song Hit of 1906 1 - 3   $5.00 Each
4 +     $4.00 Each

Auf Wiedersehn Song Hit of 1915 1 - 3   $5.00 Each
4 +     $4.00 Each

Aunt Hagar's Blues Song Hit of 1920 1 - 3   $5.00 Each
4 +     $4.00 Each

Avalon Song Hit of 1920 1 - 3   $5.00 Each
4 +     $4.00 Each

Baby Shoes Song Hit of 1916 1 - 3   $5.00 Each
4 +     $4.00 Each

Baby, Won't You Please Come Home Song Hit of 1919 1 - 3   $5.00 Each
4 +     $4.00 Each

ETC, ETC., ETC


Cheers,
Steve (we don't play no stinking copyrighted tunes) Barbone
www.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband