Help: Publishing songs: who, how, what

Subject: Publishing songs: who, how, what
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 04 Mar 02 - 12:36 AM

Recently I learned that a song of mine, WALKIN ON MY WHEELS, is going to be included in a CD called "Teaching Tolerance" to be produced by the Southern Poverty Law Center and distributed to every school in the U.S. (Whoa!)

The song was recorded by Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer on their CD, Nobody Else Like Me. It was previously recorded by Dan Crow, and his publishing company, Childsong Music, is now the publisher of the song. When I spoke to Cathy Fink last month, she said, "You really should take over the publishing."

I'm clueless here...what does it mean to be the "publisher" of a song? How do I go about "taking over the publishing"--and should I? What is the difference between the "mechanical license" (which SCLC says they obtained from Childsong Music) and the "sound recording license" (which they say they obtained from Rounder Records, Cathy and Marcy's label)--and what other licenses are there? (I'm sure I signed something for Dan Crow concerning this, but it's been lost along the way of my several moves over the last ten years.) I recall joining BMI at the time I registered all my songs with the Copyright Office (that would have been about 1988 or so), but seem to remember that the application asked if I had a "publishing company", and I said no.

Anybody have any expert advice on all this?

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Help: Publishing songs: who, how, what
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 04 Mar 02 - 03:07 AM

There has been some good info on this subject in fairly recent threads. Unfortunately, I haven't traced any of them so I can't point you to the most pertinent info.

1. Put "Copyright" (without the quotes) in the thread search, and set the time to about a year, and you'll get about 25 threads.

2. Nobody looks at a thread with only one post, so maybe my post with absolutely nothing useful to say will bring you back to the top - where someone who actually knows something will get into this.

Words of advice: recognize that most of the threads on copyright are about how we would make the world a better place. What you want is "what forms have to be filled out." The info is there, but you may have to dig a little.

- That is, unless the contributor who actually knew the difference between the "mechanical rights" and the "performance rights" can give you a link, or repeat himself. - (it was fairly recent?)

Second advice: if you put "copyright" in a "DigiTrad and Threads" search, you'll get every tune that has a copyright notice attached. Don't go there.

John

Subject: RE: Help: Publishing songs: who, how, what
From: Muskrat
Date: 04 Mar 02 - 03:12 AM

Go to http://www.ascap.com and/or http://www.bmi.com and you'll find all sorts of information.

Both ASCAP and BMI are licensing organizations, who work with publishers and collect certain royalties. Either one will tell you what you need to do; as to which is better, both have proponents, which is why there are two! (Actually, there are three, but I won't bother you with SESAC).

Subject: RE: Help: Publishing songs: who, how, what
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 04 Mar 02 - 04:54 AM

JohnInKansas: If "No one looks at a thread with only one post" where do the second & subsequent posts come from ?
or do you have to make arrangements for a mate to post to each new thread you start ?

Subject: RE: Help: Publishing songs: who, how, what
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 04 Mar 02 - 05:46 AM

Nigel

Sometimes, if a post doesn't get a hit in a while, it seems like the friendly thing to do to give it a nudge. And sometimes people seem a little more willing to talk if someone "breaks the ice."

This one was going about half way down the list, and nobody seemed willing to get it going. This is a subject that's been of interest here.

Of course, it was 3 am (my time), so maybe some sensible people do just wait 'till morning.

John