Darryl Hattenhauer
Venerated Member
Is it prohibitively expensive to record covers of big names like Dylan, Cohen, Prine, Waits, etc.? I wonder why there are so few of their songs covered, and so many covers of Mickey Newberry, Hoyt Axton, etc.
Brad Little said:Recordings of copyrighted music are licensed through the Harry Fox Agency (in the US):
http://www.harryfox.com/index.jsp
Not sure of cost, but I think it is tied in to the number of recordings produced.
Brad
AFAIK, virtually all published work is licensed through Harry Fox, but I don't know if some artists have different rate schedules. Some may also be able to withhold their material. I'm only familiar with the process second hand, but there's probably somebody on the list who has used the agency and might be able to add more hard information.Chazmo said:Are the artists that Darryl mentioned on this site?
Scratch said:I've stopped posting covers on the Internet and doing covers when I gig out at a local restaurant (background noise as folks eat a meal in a screened room setting). Sometimes, people ask to hear a cover tune, and if I happen to know it, I have to make a decision whether to play it or not because I'm sure this venue does not license with anyone to cover themselves. As stated, the restaurant owner is at risk, not me.
Stirlander said:As for the restaurant, even if artists only play original tunes ASCAP comes knocking. I know. Both of the restaurants I play at here were both strongarmed by ASCAP directly when they began having live music at their establishments. For that place you play, they probably have paid. ASCAP isn't one to rest on its laurels.
Yeah, something's not following logically here. My suspicion would be that ASCAP was actually seeking some kind of verification that absolutely no covers are being played, but the verification procedure is onerous and perhaps it was easier to simply pay licensing fees?fronobulax said:Stirlander said:As for the restaurant, even if artists only play original tunes ASCAP comes knocking. I know. Both of the restaurants I play at here were both strongarmed by ASCAP directly when they began having live music at their establishments. For that place you play, they probably have paid. ASCAP isn't one to rest on its laurels.
So if the only performances allowed at the venue are originals and ASCAP comes looking for their fees, and the venue pays, what does the composer/performer have to to to get their rightful share of those fees? It would be too much to hope that ASCAP followed up by knocking on your door and offering you money ;-)
adorshki said:Yeah, something's not following logically here. My suspicion would be that ASCAP was actually seeking some kind of verification that absolutely no covers are being played, but the verification procedure is onerous and perhaps it was easier to simply pay licensing fees?fronobulax said:Stirlander said:As for the restaurant, even if artists only play original tunes ASCAP comes knocking. I know. Both of the restaurants I play at here were both strongarmed by ASCAP directly when they began having live music at their establishments. For that place you play, they probably have paid. ASCAP isn't one to rest on its laurels.
So if the only performances allowed at the venue are originals and ASCAP comes looking for their fees, and the venue pays, what does the composer/performer have to to to get their rightful share of those fees? It would be too much to hope that ASCAP followed up by knocking on your door and offering you money ;-)
Ah, I see Scratch posted while I was composing. His observation seems to corroborate my guess about ASCAP's true "legal purview".
As I understand it, it would cost you nothing. The establishment that you are at would be the one in trouble.Darryl Hattenhauer said:If you got caught singing a Dylan song in a restaurant, what would it cost you?
You nothing. The folks that hired you or let you play would get a reprimand or a fine and perhaps even a cease and desist.Darryl Hattenhauer said:If you got caught singing a Dylan song in a restaurant, what would it cost you?
Darryl Hattenhauer said:The bureaucrats who police this should wear hats labeled "Ass Cap."