When Bands Break Up: small-label cntract wish

16 Dec 97 - 04:57 PM (#17699)
Subject: When Bands Break Up: small-label cntract wish
From: [e-mail]

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?

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16 Dec 97 - 05:39 PM (#17700)
Subject: RE: When Bands Break Up: small-label cntract wish
From: Max

Yes, it is. I'm in.

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17 Dec 97 - 01:14 PM (#17758)
Subject: RE: When Bands Break Up: small-label cntract wish
From: Nonie Rider

Anybody else?

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18 Dec 97 - 10:36 AM (#17830)
Subject: RE: When Bands Break Up: small-label cntract wish
From: Bert

I love the idea of a Mudcat label, I would certainly buy stuff. But why limit it to dead bands? We have lots of live talent here as well.

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18 Dec 97 - 02:37 PM (#17850)
Subject: RE: When Bands Break Up: small-label cntract wish
From: dick greenhaus

The problem with this one is that, while the bands may die, the copyright lives on..and on..and on.

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18 Dec 97 - 02:41 PM (#17853)
Subject: RE: When Bands Break Up: small-label cntract wish
From: Bert

Dick,

Is that a problem if we find the owner of the copyright? Surely it's just a matter of getting their permission and paying them their due amount.

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18 Dec 97 - 03:03 PM (#17860)
Subject: RE: When Bands Break Up: small-label cntract wish
From: Nonie Rider

That's why I'm talking about setting up copyright defaults from the beginning for future cases. "Hey, Cwm Clwdd, we really like your stuff. Would you be interested in making sure it's still available even if y'all break up or your label goes out of business?"

And having such an organization in place would give us more solidity to ask around about copyrights on now-defunct material. "We're setting up the following structure, and are already representing Cwm Clwdd, Celtic Treehouse, Ann Padhraigh, and Fiddlers' Folly. We're interested in obtaining permission to re-release Clam Chowder tapes. Who do we talk to?"

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