Fire Alarm Companies

A few years ago we did not get Tim Quirk 's battle for Warner Music, actually provide any sort of accounting for the money earned by his band, Too Much Joy . There were a few similar stories over the years, and begin to understand what you is that it seems that major labels generally don 't even track this stuff. They seem to assume that draw most bands only won 't, and so they never have a balance sheet (and just keep the money for themselves) to them at all. From what I heard 've if a band is really successful and annoys the label, eventually they 'll somewhat closer together an account of what' s earned. Who knows how accurate these statements.

Of course, sometimes these stories are just crazy to downright crazy. Hans Ridder points us to the story of Bill Nelson, the band Be-Bop Deluxe, and the rather ridiculous situation he went through over the years. The actual story is more than a decade, but some new attention earlier this year when a number of blogs it reposted. We are just thinking about it, if Ridder sent it in, and wanted to post it here because it really shows how to treat these labels some of its artists - never give actual accounting, always slow to answer with any details that deny always that everything 's recouped. The fact that she then started changing their story and claimed that they were actually the money to the wrong people- Then to deny that again said that the case was later - is just an extra dimension of insanity.

The story began with Nelson to ask EMI repeated been earned for an accounting of what Be-Bop Deluxe, and either get no answer, or (after asking for many times) is said to be "recouped again.", the band \ There was never any evidence of this presented. The label reissued kept working, and even contact with him to work on some of them. In one case, they told him if he helped work on a "best of" with that the account would be on top, and he 'd start royalties. Of course, that never happened. But EMI came back to ask him to work on a box set, and he asked again. And that 's when things got weird:

Over a period of two years, a very strange story. The first communication received from EMI's lawyers said that they had in fact been paying royalties to ... "By the band. 'My answer to the lawyers was ..." Ask them, the band, "Sure as I had received no royalties from the record company. After a long time and demand more of the lawyers said EMI that they do actually have been paying royalties to Nick Dew, Ian Parkin and Rob Bryan. The amazing thing is that these three people was not due to the Be Bop Deluxe albums with the exception of the very first, 'Axe Victim.' all other albums were mixed with various musicians (Charlie Tumahai, Simon Fuchs and Andy Clarke), under a different contractual set-up appeared. There, that was the first line-up, which always included only the ONE release will receive royalties from EMI for ALL Bop recordings, including re-issues ... loading images, in which they had not participated, either as actor or otherwise, the really damning is the fact that none of the original members of the band ever talked about it and said. "Wait a minute, I 'm getting money for this music that I didn' t even! "(It would be obvious from the royalties statements that they receive the payments for various albums from the Be Bop were catalog, and not just the 'Axe Victim' album.) Record company cock-up to the side, which means say about the people, you even know how to look your friends?

Anyway, after I explained to the lawyers, about Richard was that these people do not license fees \ on everything but the band's first album received, letters were then sent to EMI request an explanation. Went back a few months before a response. I think I remember that some know not to EMI, where to contact me to license fees (and I have continued to be the only member of the original line-up with a professional and public career in music) murmur send, but to a later date, they seemed to change her story and said that they paid hadn 't the other members, after all. Actually, they said, were obliged only EMI, a company called 'Be Bop Deluxe Ltd.,', which was developed by Be Bop 's manager Mike Dolan and had no longer exists due. As the company no longer existed, there was, EMI claims it has no legal obligation for them no royalties to pay generated by the product. (Despite earlier claims to money paid to \ the band's first line-up.)

While trying to decide what to do next, I suggested that EMI's lawyers should at least let me know how much my 'lost' royalty would have been asking for numbers. That would help me to decide whether it's worth, EMI was on. The court costs are prohibitive, of course, very much for me. A large company like EMI can afford it, things turn up all the enemy collapses under financial stress. I know how good they can 't.

Again, time passed, further reminders were sent to EMI and they finally replied. It seems that they had now gone back to their first story, that they HAD made payments but only to the three other members of the 'Axe Victim' line-up, excluding myself. A circular argument? Since then, further communications have been made between my side and theirs. These communications have always been marked by a painfully slow response from EMI. Spinning it out as long as possible, hoping that it might go away, perhaps? Eventually, an offer came... EMI would pay me any future royalties generated by Be Bop Deluxe product, provided, one suspects, that I didn't cause any more fuss. Basically, they said that they were under no legal obligation to pay me anything at all, (due to the 'Be Bop Deluxe Ltd' company's demise), although they do admit to paying royalties to the wrong members of the band. An administration mistake, apparently. Does that make it OK then?

At the end of his attorneys basically told him there was nothing he could do, except possibly the original band members to sue, and that it may continue with pretty much any strategy would be terribly expensive. In the meantime, we 're not supposed to believe that record companies are the best interests of the artist at heart? Why it is believed this myth?

Permalink | Comments | E-mail this story