RE: [Harp-L] ASCAP Lawsuits

["Bill Kumpe" <bkumpe@xxxxxxx>]

Ken D. said:  "only playing your own originals won't do the unlicensed club
owner lick of good if you are a member of ASCAP or BMI.  You are not
supposed to play your licensed material at a club that doesn't pay for
licenses."

We have a local coffee house poetry and open mic venue that makes you bring
a complete playlist in advance with written proof that everything on it is
either original or public domain and they may even ask for a disclaimer
affidavit that you have not plagiarized your material.  Kinda takes the
spontaneity out of just showing up with your guitar or harp and doing a
number of two for the heck of it.  Definitely not the coffee house scene of
my youth.

For amateur songwriters with dreams of writing a hit or two, the ASCAP/BMI
license is more of a curse than a blessing.  Basically, if you license the
material you give up your own performance rights to it assuring that unless
the venues pay a lot more than you're probably worth as an amateur
songwriter your work will NEVER be heard publicly, even at the local coffee
shop.  No wonder indies are calling it the "Music Mafia."  It's basically
play by their rules or stay home.

Bill Kumpe
Tulsa, OK