Australian Clubs Looking To Play Independent Music To Avoid Insane New Royalties
from the send-them-some-indie-music dept
We've been discussing how collections societies around the globe have been making a mad dash to get governments to tax more things or to simply massively expand existing collection taxes on music. One stunning example we gave was how the Phonographic Performance Company of Australia (PPCA) was pushing to increase fees by ridiculous amounts (in one example from $125/year to $19,344). Apparently, part of the setup is that clubs and restaurants have to pay a much higher per patron fee, and the number of patrons is based not on the actual number of patrons -- but on capacity. PPCA and others like them continue to insist that all of the value in a restaurant or club comes from the music, and thus those places should pay these extortionate rates, even if actual human beings don't come to fill up the place (so much for the music actually bringing in the crowds). But it looks like at least some clubs in Australia are pushing back. Sambo points us to the news that many are trying to build support for a protest effort where these clubs will only play independent music and avoid all music licensed to the PPCA. Of course, in the US, we've seen ASCAP and BMI tell clubs that do similar things that it doesn't matter -- since they might accidentally play their music. Still, it looks like these kinds of moves, that often would bankrupt these clubs and restaurants, are having an unintended consequence of helping to promote non-PPCA music. So, if you're a musician and you want to get heard in Australia, try licensing your songs under a Creative Commons license or something and highlight that anyone can play the music without having to pay a ridiculous PPCA tax.
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Filed Under: australia, clubs, collections societies, music, royalties
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Brilliant!
Best of luck to the clubs. Any way to tell/show these crazy collection societies that they can't just do what they like.
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Re: Brilliant!
It might not be that hard to find decent sounding hip hop dribble that was released independently.
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Yes!
For businesses it makes much more sense to play (and thus promote) free music rather than play copyrighted music and then get fined for promoting it.
There is a lot of great free music in the world that's waiting to be heard. I really hope businesses around the world wise up.
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Re:
There is no way that clubs and restaurants will hand over thousands of dollars in payments in order to play Aussie music if they can play other music for considerably less or free.
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Just say no
I have personally decided that I will not buy ANY music by an RIAA label. Period. I am going so far as to not even PIRATE an RIAA album. I buy/download (jamendo is free) only music that is creative commons or at the very least not on an RIAA label. It isn't easy, but there are a bunch of great bands out there with alot more talent than the hashed over BS that gets pushed by the big labels and RIAA.
(Of course RIAA music that I already bought was grandfathered in)
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Re: Just say no
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What a racket
-Those five star restaurants owe it all to the music they have played. Certainly it had othing to do with the food served, the chef, wait staff, etc.
"in the US, we've seen ASCAP and BMI tell clubs that do similar things that it doesn't matter -- since they might accidentally play their music."
-This claim is ridiculous. I suppose they will be selling music insurance next, you know because accidents can happen.
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Please cite your source for this.
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Wow
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It's About Time.
Bypass the gatekeepers. Gatekeepers who, by the way, don't actually care about the interests of the artist. Then, given some time, we'll see where musicians actually want their music played - in gated and overtaxed communities, or out in the open for the masses to discover.
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Re: It's About Time.
Because in the US, you can't. You have to pay if you play any music at all, even if you never play any of their music.
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Re: Re: It's About Time.
I would like to see where the laws state this. Lots of people keep saying it but where are the laws?
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Re: Re: It's About Time.
If this is true then what radio stations should do is start up talk radio stations and spend a LOT of time talking about how corrupt the RIAA is and how the RIAA does nothing but exploit the public and artists and they can discuss these issues and how they harm artists and make the public more aware of these stupid laws. They can be like Techdirt, as techdirt makes obvious when it comes to the RIAA there is plenty of interesting topics to talk about, every time the RIAA does something stupid the radio station can talk about it and every time the government acts like a retard in favor of the RIAA at public expense the station should talk about it. In fact, this should be what radio stations do, discuss these important issues instead of censoring them. The public airwaves shouldn't be a platform that the FCC regulates in such a way that disables people from using them to discuss important issues. Until people are allowed to use the public airwaves to discuss these issues perhaps we should work to disbar the FCC (because without an FCC the public airwaves could and would be used to discuss important subjects like this and how corrupt the FDA and other federal agencies are and we should ensure that the FCC's corrupt regulatory arm doesn't hinder such discussions).
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Fitness Industry case.
http://www.operationmusic.org.au/pdf/Briefing-Update-PPCA-Case%20-FAL-18.02.09.doc%20 %5BCompatibility%20Mode%5D.pdf
This represents a vast increase in the current PPCA rate of $0.968 per fitness
class with an annual capped maximum of $2,654. For example, a known
independent fitness centre in western Sydney, currently pays $1,400 per
annum for this license. Under the new structure and rate, the annual cost will
increase to $174,336 (an increase of approximately 12,344%). This will
increase to $348,732 per annum with APRA seeking an equivalent rate.
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I'd like to see how far that one gets in court. Then again, in the broken U.S. it'll probably wind up in East Texas somehow where morons would end up making ridiculous rulings.
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Re:
Especially clubs which aren't sitting on a warchest of millions. So the choice becomes: give in to the extortion or go out of business.
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PPCA is a rort
The right to collect fees for 'public performance' is spurious in any case. We have already paid for the CD. Why is it that music is the only commodity I have to pay for twice? The chairs are used publicly, the art on the walls is used publicly, they were also designed produced and distributed by some persons and companies, yet they are very happy if I just pay for their products only once! Jim.
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Re: PPCA is a rort
... dont ever say that again .... it might give them ideas .... LOL
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Re: PPCA is a rort
PPCA Fee Free!
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Two interesting thoughts ......
AC - "perhaps clubs should pool together their funds to fight this sort of thing in court."
280 note/entry) Just thought of a great new idea .... insurance that offers legal fees for lawsuits by RIAA/ASCAP/etc at half of what the collection agencies charge. Set it up for bars that only play indie, labels.
After the first lawsuit it should be easy, these people dont seem to be all that creative and just reuse the same legal strategies over and over.
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Unsigned Musicians can get exposure...thanks to PPCA
www.moomoomusic.com collects music by unsigned artists - not only do you get exposure but you also get paid! Moo Moo Music works with Trusonic's background music systems which are found in clubs, pubs, hotels and retail enviornments all around Australia.
Word on the street is that Trusonic music systems are in hot demand at the moment because of the Moo Moo Music playlists!
Artists - get uploading your songs
Venues - start talking to Trusonic ASAP. The fees take affect 1 Dec 10!!
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Sounds good to me.
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Sounds good to me.
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I have enough
Through the week days it is quite and we are trying to bring more people in on the weekend.
How is a small family restaurant is soposed to survive when we have to pay fee for Backround music, fee for dance floor, fee for karaoke, fee for DJ, fee for live music and a fee for screen and TV.
Than we have to pay council for tables and chairs outside the restaurant. When people go out on Friday and Saturday nights they want to BYO. They bring their wine,champagne, etc, and of course they bring their cake.
They leave me religiously their empty bottles were we have to pay fee to dispose them. I want to know as a restaurenteur why do we have to pay so much to have pleasant music and a dance available for our customers. In Europe that does not exist. This is just another American money making for pen pushers who dont want to work. I would like to invite all of you pen pushers to go and work in the restaurant just for one week and see how would you feel about giving your hard earn money to bulshit artist around the world. That is such a idiocracy that is not funny any more.
And do the artist really get that money after all.
Should I advertise as well that I am paying wages to Dean Martin, Michael Jackson and Elvis Presly. What kind of a imbacilic law can suport that I dont know. But than again.... people who make law are as far as I am concern ONLY a PEN PUSHERS to!!!
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