Tiffany Suiters, in what must be one of the silliest posts I've EVER read
on this list, responded to my long post about the roots of BMI, and the
reasons for its very existence, with the following dumb, DUMB, D-U-M-B
line, her whole message prior to reprinting my long post all over again:
>Obviously an ASCAP recruiter<
Nothing about my contention that having two (or three) societies in the
United States has seriously affected the pocket books of every songwriter
and publisher in the United States, compared to their counterparts
elsewhere in the world.
Nothing about the duplicated (and even triplicated) overheads that
are paid for out of the money collected, and therefore not distributed to
songwriters and publishers.
Nothing about the fact that the moneys paid for the use of music in
the US are, per capita, are FAR lower than that in Europe, Australia, Japan
and even Canada.
I do realise that the issues raised - which began when someone or other
innocently asked, in effect, "Jeez, which should I join?" - are not germane
unless you're a publisher or a songwriter (or, perhaps, a music user!), but
Tiffany's smart-arse response didn't exactly shed much light on what is a
vital issue for creative people in the United States.
If Tiffany has anything sensible to say about this issue, I'd be
delighted to respond. Does she feel my facts were inaccurate? Does she
think that two (or three) organizations benefit songwriters?
And, no, I don't work for ASCAP. I'm a music industry publicist
who represents a number of Canadian artists - my company, I'm proud to say,
includes among our clients the redoubtable little Canajun bluegrass band
Heartbreak Hill, chosen to open Twangfest's Saturday night celebrations in
St. Louis. A wonderful choice (thanx, committee members!), and they shall
do their best!
Cheers,
Richard
Two other notes on the above. Erica wrote to tell me that rates for
performing right organizations are set in the US by the LIbrary of Congress
(which I didn't know) - but presumably after submissions from both the
societies and the music users. And Jon wrote me offline to suggest the
chances of ever having a single society in the US (as every other territory
does) are about the same as a snowball freezing in hell; he's probably
right, but if songwriters really understood hopw they are getting screwed,
they'd raise hell!
