They don't want you downloading their music and they most definitely
don't want you singing it out loud either.
Why do people keep supporting them...???
I encourage support for many of the currently unknown musicians freely
giving away their music online through many places around the internet
, including myself as a musician , the difference between us and them
is you must be interactive in listening to the song , rather than just
turning on a radio or TV , you must click and listen , and it won't be
something that you will hear over and over again making it a little
harder for the average musician , but I still encourage it.
Although in all fairness , I am for silencing karaoke nights , LOL
,(joke)
ARTICLE :
http://www.theindychannel.com/entertainment/2468670/detail.html
Lawsuit Seeks To Silence Indy Karaoke Bar
Agency Claims Bar Didn't Pay Licensing Fees
POSTED: 8:27 a.m. EST September 10, 2003
UPDATED: 8:31 a.m. EST September 10, 2003
INDIANAPOLIS -- A music licensing agency that represents singers such
as Sheryl Crow and Dolly Parton has filed a federal copyright lawsuit
that could silence karaoke nights in central Indiana.
In a lawsuit filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Indianapolis,
Broadcast Music Inc. alleges an eastside bar violated copyright laws
by hosting karaoke and live music shows without paying licensing fees
to use popular songs.
New York-based BMI is a performance rights organization that collects
license fees on behalf of songwriters when their music is played on
radio, TV, the Internet, or is performed publicly.
The lawsuit claims that Parrotheads Bar and Grill failed to pay
licensing fees for using songs such as "God Bless the USA," and "Old
Time Rock and Roll."
Parrotheads would likely have to pay annual license fees of about
$1,000, said Jerry Bailey, a spokesman for BMI.
Besides the bar, the lawsuit names former owner Gary S. Neumann and
Triple L. Inc. as defendants.
Neumann was out of town, his wife said Wednesday when The Associated
Press called seeking comment. There was no number for Triple L. Inc.
in Indianapolis listings. The phone at Parrotheads rang unanswered.
The lawsuit lists as plaintiffs songwriters, a trust for the late
Sonny Bono and several publishing companies.
"People think music is free, but it is not. This is how songwriters
make a living," Bailey said.
"These businesses are using the music to draw in people to eat and
drink," he added.
Scores of nightclubs and restaurants in Indianapolis play music
without paying licensing fees, and the lawsuit could lead some to
reconsider karaoke and live music shows, The Indianapolis Star
reported.
"Everyone will be watching to see how this turns out," said disc
jockey Justin Posav, of GTI Sounds in Noblesville. "Many of them view
BMI like the police."
Though restrictions on playing music have been eased by lawmakers in
recent years, there is still widespread disagreement about how the
laws work, said John Livengood, executive director of the Restaurant
and Hospitality Association of Indiana.
"This has been a constant source of friction," Livengood said. Many
bar owners and restaurateurs "feel if they buy a CD they should have a
right to play it," he said.
The BMI lawsuit was filed the same day the recording industry sued
hundreds of individual music lovers accused of illegally downloading
and sharing songs over the Internet.
Both lawsuits underscore the music industry's increasing
aggressiveness in protecting copyrights.
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