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SoundExchange Ease up/ Truth in Music Spreads

SoundExchange ?opens for dialog" (read ?they began to fear"). No more rip-off bands, by federal law.

Apr 21, 2007 10:29 GMT  ·  By
You don't want to have Henry Rollins mad at you because you played soft rock and called your band "Rollins Band". Neither would SoundExchange want to have Henry angry in their offices.
   You don't want to have Henry Rollins mad at you because you played soft rock and called your band "Rollins Band". Neither would SoundExchange want to have Henry angry in their offices.

You are all already familiar with the webcasters scandal, raised fees for Internet radio performance and the Copyright Royalty Board... in a few words, SoundExchange proposed fees for the Internet playback of music to seriously grow. The CRB puppies quickly approved the proposal and ruled a minimum $500/channel fee for each Internet radio, no matter how big or small, commercial or not. Hence the big stir and appeal, the CRB denying the webcasters' appeal and preparing for the Congress.

Now, as things are hastily heading towards a Congress hearing, it looks like the SoundExchange guys and the CRB "knights" have lost a fraction of their determination. On April 19th, SoundExchange gave a press release in which they expressed their solid will to discuss the matter because they only care for the good of the music industry (whatever they would think it represents). And to see how crappy their words sound... here's some quote: "Our continued outreach reflects our long-standing position that these are two businesses - webcasting and creating music - that are joined at the hip and that need each other". The author of such eye-watering phrase? John Simson, Executive Director of SoundExchange.

Now, it's obvious that somebody told them they went over the line and severely exaggerated with their claims and that their ill-fated partnership with the CRB rather brings trouble... otherwise I just can't explain the sudden "reach out release".

I mean, first you say and do a very s**tty thing and back it up with all your unmatched support against all odds and against everybody for more than one month.You refuse any dialog as a completely deaf person and all of a sudden, you are worried about the lack of discussion... and want to "reach out"...

C'mooon, no-one is that stupid as to buy that... you have realized what you've done and try to "mend the s**t"... Unlike you, some other guys (even politicians) are really concerned about what's going on in the music industry and are dealing with serious laws for making it more fair and more right, instead of trying to just fill up their pockets.

The "truth in music" bill has already been passed in 10 states and it looks like the process is slightly accelerating. The House of Representatives has to sign it and it will become effective in a very short time.

The "truth in music" bill is targeting those bands which are illegally using other bands' names even if they have nothing to do with them and even worse, take serious financial profit off such a practice. Bands still having enlisted at least one of the original members will be accepted, such as to still benefit from the name.

There were several such reported misdemeanors of illegal, false pretense use of band-names and the public, as the music industry has reacted against this state of facts and proposed for a legal ruling in the matter. Now, the bill has reached a content which allows it to be passed and to take proper effect in protecting the name-property of the (former) bands. Over time, there were serious complaints from bands like The Coasters, The Shirelles or The Drifters about impostors illegally making use of their names.

The future bill will still allow tribute and salutes to the bands and the possibility to perform in given conditions while perpetrators will have to face legal consequences.