[Harp-L] ASCAP Lawsuits

["Bill Kumpe" <bkumpe@xxxxxxx>]

Question from the list's resident ambulance chaser:

Last month, ASCAP filed 21 lawsuits against live music venues including one
in Oklahoma City.  The suit filed against a private club in Mt. Airy, NC
could result in as much as $30,000.00 in fines, expenses and costs for the
live performance of only two copyrighted songs.  The minimum expense would
be $1500.00 if the owners plead guilty and pay the fines. Some of these
suits seek in the hundreds of thousands of dollars 

How much does this concern you guys who gig for a living and how do you
approach the issue with the club owners?

How many have you have spotted or think you have spotted an ASCAP or BMI
investigator at your gig?    

xx-http://www.thetimesnews.com/articles/bar-35089-span-style.html-xx

xx-http://www.ascap.com/press/2010/0621_ASCAP_21InfringementActions.aspx-xx

Bill Kumpe
Tulsa, OK