Yes, the inaccessibility of the database is another beef. I've suggested that there should be an error-free public version. The trouble at the moment is that it's a DIY input - people just put in whatever they want, hence the 59 writers of Ride On (not that PRS pay out on that - they pay out on what they believe to be the legal case).

But in fairness to PRS they don't technically need to police the database - just keep a record in case of a legal claim. Then it'd be down to the performer and the writer/arranger to sort out the deal between them.

You're wrong about GACS being just about writer/arrangers though - any member who plays a non-'Concert Sales' gig can claim, and most do. There are loads of (trad) arranger-only members of PRS, who do quite nicely out of reclaiming their own performances of trad works that they've registered. If you do lots of gigs maybe you should join up and do the same. The more folkies the better.

"However there no longer seems to be a system for submitting returns from small events which don't get sampled (although in my experience very few folk venues ever seemed to use them - possibly because the club wasn't the PRS licensee and the landlord wasn't interested)"

See my post above. ALL gigs EVERYWHERE are covered by GACS (including sessions and singarounds - though I don't think many PRS member would include them - hope not anyway!) - it's just that it's up to the PRS members, rather than the promoters, to send in a claim (of which both promoter and landlord may remain in ignorance if no-one's explained the process to them).

And lots of us do - every gig I've ever done (apart from sessions, singaround and benefits, obviously, or any where I've been asked to keep schtum for some good reason) have gone into GACS. And it brings in a nice little sum without which I'd have gone bust in about 2002!

Sessions do get sampled. That's when you whip out your 'trad-only' set list - and it does work.

Tom