Quote:

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.


Not really Bob but it depends. I'll give you 2 examples. The nice lady at the Cafe was given the riot act about,"well how do YOU know that it's original? " etc. etc. and she caved and gave up the idea.
I have a friend that is a Director at the local, very prestigious, Folk School in my area. They were approached many years ago by BMI & ASCAP.He and the President and others basically told them to go do what Clint Eastwood said couldn't be done.That they have all traditional, non copy-written music & music in the public domain. If they didn't believe that they could just set up camp at the Campus and try and prove a violation. Never been bothered since.This is still another matter.Harrassing a local Cafe etc because some old guy is going to play some cover tunes to raise money for charity is just wrong. I feel it's totally against the "spirit" of the laws in place.

John
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