Quote:
Originally Posted by Wendy Welch
I just got a bill from Warner's Music Group for the remastering of Bob's songs
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That sounds totally bizarre, I've never heard of that except at the studio level or very small labels where it's almost a vanity release.
I do know of an artist who in his aging years, and with a very ill wife, was horribly mistreated (and illegally so) by a major NY/Hollywood company. He had fought in WWII but he simply had to give up and sign away rights just to get back physical property he owned to sell in essentially a blackmail situation. His wife needed expensive medical treatment. He went through the press at one point and got a lot of people to his side but the bad guys won and lots of people make more money in a week than he made in a year from his old original work. It's sort of the corporate regurgitation factory model versus simply treating individual creative people like your Bob as the keystones and valuable artists they are. Literally they can kill people. They killed me... I don't want to create anymore except on a level that doesn't involve big companies and hype. I had some health stuff appear, lost my fiancee, got knocked about by governments in two countries... lacking a multi-millionaire backing me I had to move on or die fighting. Kind of the opposite of the land of opportunity and meritocracy the U.S. bills itself as (and it was U.S. companies and U.S. contracts I've worked with). I have a theory sports is so appealing to people as it provides that mythical meritocracy in part (in part because many pro athletes have had to come from privileged backgrounds to devote themselves to some sports). I'm blathering, sorry.
It sounds like maybe ASCAP is holding royalties in escrow or something because of a dispute. As soon as something is settled they have to release whatever is there. People usually have to lose a piece for that though, such as in Badfinger's case where heirs had to suddenly share songwriting with people they didn't know of having contributed to songs but whereas the songwriter was gone people began claiming they'd had input. And band members were fairly aware at the time of what was happening to them. Like the artist I mentioned... it's like they hate the people with any awareness of the law and their rights most of all, those who haven't singed anything away. Man, it's the most depressing thing and they get away with it. The NY agent with big mansions and the creative person owning on a second hand car about to lose their house.
I'm sorry I can't really help other than sympathize. I admire and respect the fight in you and hope for at least some small victories.