I have more than once tried to promote the idea to the DTI in England that the "benefit and burden" problem discussed in the MU article cited above should be remedied, but to no avail.

Since TOny Blair plays guitar someone persuasive should have a go at him once the public performance/music licensing issue has settle down a bit.

But there could be another angle. The copyright in sound recordings (like any other copyright) depends on a morality view or the bargain between artist and public (depending on where you stand on the US/EEC views on this).

I respectfully submit that once a sound recording has been out of issue for a given period it should enter "domaine publique payante" where it could be commercially copied subject to the payment of royalties to the owner of the copyright in the sound recording and indemnifying him against royalty claims by artists etc.