Official Luthiers Forum!

I pulled this off of the Flatpick-L list. If you live in the UK, be carefull what songs you let cusomers try out on you instruments.

http://www.macclesfield-express.co.uk/news/s/207/207169_its_ a_fiddle.html Scott Thompson38721.6737268519

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Scott Thompson
Port Townsend,WA

"In a perfect world we'd all sing in tune
But this is reality so give me some room"
-Billy Bragg

Oh My Goodness ......... I owe Billions MichaelP38721.6879861111

Hi Scott

I had some trouble with PRS at the factory I used to work at, they tried to charge for a licence so the workers could listen to the radio on the factory floor !

They deemed this a public performance, our solicitor advised we tell them we didn't listen to music, as they had no right of entry to our premises and as such could not use it as evidence, they backed off. They want to remember who provides the tools to create the music !!

Well I'll be gob-smacked!

Incidentally, they do it in the states too. Ballet schools et al have to pay a fee to ASCAP so the li'l darlings have music to dance too!

The music industry is reeling from a fall-off in sales. This is there way to make up revenue. This typical of some. Don't do something to correct the problem (slumping sales), instead punish, punish and punish some more!

Regards, Steve

What's intereesting about the ballet schools is most of that music is in the public domain. Are they for real about this. Whats next, will I have to join a union in order to walk into a music shop and try out an instrument? JBreault38721.7113310185

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Joe Breault
Merrimack, NH
Perpetual novice

So if I demo an instrument and butcher the song so badly that it is unrecognizable, do I still have to pay a royalty? Maybe I have to pay double......

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Scott Thompson
Port Townsend,WA

"In a perfect world we'd all sing in tune
But this is reality so give me some room"
-Billy Bragg

You'll be alright on that Scott they have to recognise it

The radio one really stumped me as the radio play the songs that generates the sales, then they want to charge you to listen, the guy from PRS didn't seem to see my point on this one.

Absolutely rediculous!

[QUOTE=sfbrown]This is there way to make up revenue. This typical of some. Don't do something to correct the problem (slumping sales), instead punish, punish and punish some more!

Regards, Steve [/QUOTE]


Typical of people with small minds and no creativity....

The entire media distribution industry is going to suffer severe pains in the near future. Music is just the first to feel the pinch.

They need to reinvent themselves.

I just heard on television yesterday that large advertisers are trying to get congress to ban Tivo's and DVR's ability to speed through commercials....

utter nonsense.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

Wow. This really got me steamed when I read it. I started to do a bit more investigation so I could send an unplesant email to PRS and found this comment some one left.

[quote]One of my friends is a PRS member, and he called them about this - apparently they've since changed their policy and no longer charge music shops.
common sense, UK
03/01/2006 at 10:41[/quote]

www.macclesfield-express.co.uk/news/comments/view.html?story _id=207169

This is actually hard to believe, but it's unfortunately a indicator of where our society is at and seems to headed.
I think Catbert is behind this!

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Jim Watts
http://jameswattsguitars.com

For once I'm absolutely speechless...

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I'd like to be able to prove, just for once, that money wouldn't make me happy...

My old folk club, had a letter from the PRS telling us we needed a licence. They conceded that we didn't when we pointed out that all of the music we play is more than 100 years old and usually written by that very well known writer 'Anon' or his brother 'Trad'. My wife and I do have a license of our own as we play in a number of different venues and do play some contemporary music. I like Davy Graham to get his money, he needs it.

Colin.

My local guitar shop has a sign up banning anyone from playing "Stairway to Heaven" and "Layla"!

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

... But those are classics (albeit probably the most often maligned ones)

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I'd like to be able to prove, just for once, that money wouldn't make me happy...

Colin, reminds me of that scene in Wayne's World...."Dude, no Stairway, read the sign!"

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Joe Breault
Merrimack, NH
Perpetual novice

[QUOTE=Alain Desforges] ... But those are classics (albeit probably the most often maligned ones) [/QUOTE]

Yeah by Led Zeppelin (or even Rolf Harris, British joke) and Clapton, but when you've heard them played badly a thousand times!

Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

Shakespeare had it right.

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Live to Play, Play to Live

[quote]Shakespeare had it right.[/quote]

Not being up on my Shakespeare would you mind telling what it was that he said about this?   

Thanks,

I believe something about killing lawyers?

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I'd like to be able to prove, just for once, that money wouldn't make me happy...

[quote]I believe something about killing lawyers?[/quote]

That sounds like a sensible idea.

[QUOTE=Alain Desforges]   I believe something about killing lawyers?[/QUOTE]

What do you call 500 lawyers at the bottom of the ocean?

[QUOTE=Scott Thompson] So if I demo an instrument and butcher the song so badly that it is unrecognizable, do I still have to pay a royalty? Maybe I have to pay double......[/QUOTE]

The real irony would be if you had to pay to play a song that you wrote!

[QUOTE=sfbrown] [QUOTE=Alain Desforges]   I believe something about killing lawyers?[/QUOTE]

What do you call 500 lawyers at the bottom of the ocean?

[/QUOTE]

A good start?

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Dave Rector
Rector Guitars

I think the comments on that forum are funny just because people are getting the PRS and PRS Guitars mixed up. The Brittish guys can correct me if I am wrong, but the PRS is like ASCAP or BMI over here in the States. It controls the publishing and copywrite of works and performances, no?

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Joe Breault
Merrimack, NH
Perpetual novice

Yes you are right Joe

PRS Stands for The Performing Right Society. Yes that is rather amusing, one guy was going on about how they were doing it to make up for a law suit they lost to Gibson, and how everyone should stop buying Paul Reed Smith Guitars.RussellR38722.7350462963