Re: [npc] Blondie - more yammerin re: the RnR HoFame

["Michael C. Berch" <mcb>]

Under U.S. copyright law, anyone may record and distribute a cover of  
someone else's already-released song. This is provided for by the  
Compulsory License section of the copyright code, 17 USC 115.

	http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode17/ 
usc_sec_17_00000115----000-.html

The covering artist pays the copyright holder (that's the songwriter  
[individual or group] or a music publisher who bought the rights, not  
the record label or copyright holder of the original sound recording)  
a fixed royalty based on a statutory scheme.

A good write-up on this is a "how-to" from CDBaby:

	http://www.cdbaby.net/dd-covers

-- 
Michael C. Berch
mcb



On Mar 14, 2006, at 10:37 AM, Dennis Moore wrote:
> Now I wonder also if it would be different if Burke and Infante had
> not given up their rights to material to BMInc...would they at least
> have been able to deny "Blondie" the current use of their songs?
>
> It reminds me of when Johnette Napolitano was talking about song
> copyrights and control at RockrGrl, cautioning song writers, but
> saying also something like 'if Cheryl Crow wants to do one of your
> songs she's going to do one of your songs."
>
> Ever since I've wondered about the covers of PSG material and how that
> plays out/is determined. For example, did Patti and/or Lenny want
> Marilyn Manson to do RnRN? What is the record company's [Arista's]
> role and does it depend on the contract?