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Re: [ARSCLIST] When you die...
----- Original Message -----
From: "Don Cox" <doncox@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> That's different. I'm talking about performance royalties, not
> composition.
>
As in "RECORDED" performance...? Royalties on one's recording(s)
were VERY uncommon until the aftermath of the AFM strikes (in fact,
CBS used the fact that Armstrong's contract entitled him to record-
sales-based royalties to successfully take legal action against a
"pirate" label c.1949, since the latter obviously DIDN'T pay Satchmo
any royalties, and thus violated the law...! However, MOST artists
of that period were paid only fixed amounts for recording sessions
(and often not-very-large amounts, at that...?!). These days, AFM
member musicians are guaranteed record royalties (under certain
conditions, IIRC...), as well as being paid "scale" for playing
music in public. MOST "beer joints" can't afford to pay union
scale...
> > The mysterious "guitar player" ONLY collects money (and usually a
> > VERY small amount thereof...?!), from
> > (1) ASCAP/BMI/SOCAN/usw., when his composition is used by someone
> > else to make money (2) IF he/she/it was part (or all) of a group
> > who were eligible for royalties related to record sales, at the
> > time said record was fixed...!
> >
> This is the kind of arrangement I'm talking about.
> Everyone is paid the least their employer can get away with. I certainly
> was.
> Wages go up only when nobody answers the job adverts.
>
True...which is why most of the things we see in our stores are marked
"Made In China" (or various other obscure foreign lands), and manufacturing
jobs are virtually unknown in North America (though one CAN always get
a "McJob," which pays you $7/hour plus all the leftover hamburgers you
can take home after closing...?!).
Meanwhile, CEO's...even if hopelessly incompetent after having nearly
driven the firm into bankruptcy...are receiving eight-figure salaries
plus bonuses...?!
One wonders when North American countries will ressurect the concepts
of a privileged aristocracy, and a NON-privileged peasantry...?!
...stevenc