Ways in which copyright owners can user their rights to interfere with the creative process are touched on in this piece by Gail Russel Chaddock.

Some of these issues were also discussed in a UK context by Richard Morrison in a comment published in the Times of London. I can't get a blue clicky thingy straight to it. You need to go to the London Times website here,, click on "Back Issues", and following the instructions, bring up the back issue for May 17, 1997. Then click on "Arts" and bring up the Arts section. The Article by Morrison is "Week in the Arts: Richard Morrison--Touched by Lunacy Beyond the Grave".

The compulsory license mechanism for recorded music places somewhat of a check on arbitrary actions by the rightsholder. But public domain status is the best way to guarantee complete creative freedom.

T.