Getting back to performance rights, as opposed to mechanical:
I gather there is a difference between the two sides of the pond on how the royalties are distributed. As I understand it, in the US the fees are collected from the venues by the rights management agencies, then distributed to the copyright holders by means of some formula. As far as I can tell, this formula pays little or no attention to the actual selections performed in small venues, and is probably driven more by radio play than anything.
So if one of my songs is played a thousand times in small clubs but never gets above the ASCAP radar, they will have collected (in theory) a thousand royalty payments on my behalf and yet I will get none.
I hope the British system is better. In fact I hope I misunderstand the US system; if someone can explain to me where I am wrong or, if I am right, why this is fair, I might reconsider my bad attitude toward performing rights management.
-Glenn