Y'know, one of the frustrations of my life is those small bands, small labels, small companies that go under, leaving us with a mad desire for utterly unobtainable, say, Clam Chowder tapes or local hammer-dulcimer cuts.

I'd love to see a centralized small-folk/blues-band group/contract/union/whatever, where performers would make arrangements to have a master preserved, and agree on post-breakup royalties etc.

For example: "Three years after this band has been formally dissolved, and/or Label XYZ last releases one of their albums (whichever comes later), both Band ABC and Label XYZ agree that the Mudcat Dead Bands Society can release copies of their recordings, subject to the following royalties to members of Band ABC and Label XYZ."

I know we all hope to make it big, and to keep our bands together for life, but so much good music is going unheard, or pirated for friends without royalties, because no one has the right to make it available anymore.

I'd pay a good deal to be able to get, and give, legal copies of Clam Chowder tapes. I'd already be paying under-table royalties for my pirated copies (were I to have done anything that illegal ) if I knew where to send the money.

So obviously I don't know much about the recording industry. Any of this possible?