I think there’s a way around the BMI extortion that’s going on in the USA, but unfortunately it won’t be to the liking of most musicians, audiences or venues.

That is to simply to play ALL original music. The obvious problem is that most musicians aren’t songwriters and most of the ones who do write their own stuff aren’t even half way decent at it because all they know is memorizing something someone else wrote.

Add to that the fact that audiences want to hear something they know and venue owners want the same.

Maybe when the law was enacted, the intensions were good, but there were no doubt people behind the scenes supporting the law that had no other intension than to profit from it.

I have no problem with cracking down on people selling bootleg copies of music, but it gets ridiculous if a performer isn’t allowed to pick up an instrument and play “Sittin’ On The Dock of the Bay” for anyone who wants to listen. There’s far more damage done by music pirates than by someone playing covers at the bowling alley.

Common sense be d*mned. That is the American way in our legal system.

Bob
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http://soundcloud.com/bobcflatpicke/music-in-the-mountains