About a year ago I contacted a small coffee shop in Puyallup regarding me singing there. Everything was cool and then they referred me to their music policy. It stated that the licensing fee to play music affiliated and licensed through BMI and ASCAP was outrageous and they weren't going to pay for one. So, long story short, if you're a musician who wanted to sing at their coffee shop you couldn't sing any song licensed through BMI or ASCAP. Now if that wasn't enough they also insisted that if it was a song you wrote it couldn't be copyrighted either.
Well as far as me singing there I was out on all three counts. First, I'd never sing one of my songs that wasn't copyrighted. Second, I'm an ASCAP publisher and a few of the songs I sing, and have recorded, are licensed through ASCAP. And third, I'm a BMI publisher and songwriter, so, most of the songs I sing are licensed through BMI.
Now just recently I've been contacted by an establishment willing to book me so they referred me to their music policy. They are licensed ONLY through ASCAP and can't have any BMI songs performed there.
Does this make me frustrated, not a chance. I became a BMI songwriter in 1981 and ever since then BMI has rallied congress and the world, just as ASCAP has, for my rights as an affiliated member. Every song that I've licensed through BMI, that I've recorded, cost me more money than I'll probably make on them. The gear involved in recording the song, manufacturing the CD, setting up internet distribution costs money.
Does this make me frustrated, not a chance. I became a BMI songwriter in 1981 and ever since then BMI has rallied congress and the world, just as ASCAP has, for my rights as an affiliated member. Every song that I've licensed through BMI, that I've recorded, cost me more money than I'll probably make on them. The gear involved in recording the song, manufacturing the CD, setting up internet distribution costs money.
I've heard from establishments that claim buying a license to play live, or recorded, ASCAP and BMI music is too high. I won't tell you the absurdly low price I've heard establishments pay, because they did some research. I'll just say that if I don't play another gig again because my songs are licensed through a performance organization designed to protect my rights and collect money due me, then I'll be happy to never sing another gig again.
Well, that's my 2 cents.
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