Record Lady

Eric West · Post by **Eric West** » 24 Dec 2003 11:30 am

DH. I know..

Between them and the Manufacturers...

SO now, Steel PLAYERS can add to

1. Sucking Hind Teat to Performers and Front men, and their bragging rights for the most part, and especially nowadays are limited to what "master" let them eat in the house... This appearantly going nearly to the top..

2.Sucking hind teat to Manufacturers, and if a certain guitar plays, looks, or sounds like Heck, they dare not say it due to fear of stirring the ire of some famous person that either manufactures them, sells them, played them for free, works for them currently, has a relative that does, OR played them for free in anticipation of some kind of recognition., Let alone the fear that the family house might have to be put up as a retainer to fend off a bull....lawsuit, unwinnable, but unanswerable without expensive representation by any of the above for "damage to their income.."

4. Ditto to Misc. sensitivity groups..

5. " to People who "do jobs that nobody else wants" for low wages..

...the further being at the beckon call of people that wrote the songs, whether they actually wrote them or not, relatives, friends, stooges, or cronies of them, or their beneficiaries, or attorneys..

We should be thankful that the aforementioned even allow us to play... let alone listen to their songs without paying..

I never thought that Curmudgeonry would hit before my memory loss started in earnest.

I hear that the best songs were written with black formica pencils..

Happy Holidays...

PS I always feel better after the "Xmas Angel" hits me after the family get together, provided that the missus doesn't get drunk and tell to many of them off...

EJL

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 24 Dec 2003 5:08 pm

Donny I am a songwriter, and I understand the problem of rights and royalties.

But on the other hand when I am dead I would be quite happy if one of my songs was saved from obscurity on the recordladys daugther's site.

The sound quality is indeed very low.
But you get the song and the chords and a sense of the performance. Otherwise lost in most cases.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 24 Dec 2003 7:44 pm

Donald, I am a songwriter, too.

When I was much younger, the idea of making a good living playing an instrument was pretty remote. Even more remote was the idea of making a good living writing songs. Considering all I've seen in the music business in the last 40-odd years, my outlook hasn't changed much. Much like those who aspire at sports, less than 1 in 1,000 musicians or songwriters ever "makes it" in a big way.

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 24 Dec 2003 8:58 pm

I've heard that it's possible to make a good living as a song writer. I've never heard that it's possible as a musician.

Back to the subject... Not everything on The Record Lady's site is obscure. I noticed several Patsy Cline and Hank Williams songs that I've recently bought on CD, and I'm sure that some of the Merle Haggard stuff isn't out of print. Royalties? The songwriters aren't even credited on the site.

It may be perfectly legal (I really don't know), but I'd like to at least see the songwriters' names.

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<img align=right src="http://b0b.com/Hotb0b.gif" width="96 height="96">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs, Open Hearts
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Joey Ace · Post by **Joey Ace** » 25 Dec 2003 10:41 am

I love the site, but there's no way it can be legal.

It just exists because the companies lawyers haven't gotten around to enforcing their rights yet.

I perdict it, and others like it, will be shut down by legal threats. Enjoy them while you can.

Thanks, Rose. I'm sure your hearts in the right place.

Jason Odd · Post by **Jason Odd** » 25 Dec 2003 6:28 pm

In case anyone has forgotten, the original topic was "I wonder if anyone can shed any light on the legality of downloading songs from the Record Lady's site, There are tons of songs from the 20s thru th 70s."

The first answer is yes, I can shed some light.
The second is, they are illegal.

Thirdly, despite the obscurity of some, they are owned by coporate identities, companies and labels, whatever you want to call them.
Some have not seen legit release since the 1960s or longer, some are truly obscure.

However, if you bought a 78 rpm record in 1947, or a 45 single in 1967 and you believe them to be obscure, it does not particuarly mean that they are.

Standard copyright on most CDs:
All Rights of the owner of copyright in this sound recordind reserved.
Any copying, renting, lending, diffusion, public performance or broadcast of this record without the authority of the copyright owner is prohibited.

These standard copyright practices were founded decades ago, obviously this is an updated version, but the principle has remained much the same for many decades.

It doesn't matter if it's out of print, it's like squatting in someone's house because you view it as empty, and wasted.
I'm sure Record lady is a lovely, devoted and passionate person, a true fan.
But, that's not the point, nor the topic.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 26 Dec 2003 12:45 pm

Okay, I'll answer the original question. It's illegal now to download copyrighted songs unless you pay for them!

Now, let's move on into the obscure forest of common sense...

Downloading only a few?

Rest assured, probably no one will ever say a word.

Download a hundred or so?

They'll get to you, eventually. (Might take a year or two, though.)

Download a thousand or more???

They're preparing search warrants right now with your name on them!

As with most legal statute violations, the more serious the infraction, the more likely that you will be caught.

As Jiminy Cricket said...Let your conscience be your guide.[This message was edited by Donny Hinson on 26 December 2003 at 01:08 PM.]

Jon Light (deceased) · Post by **Jon Light (deceased)** » 26 Dec 2003 12:51 pm

And he was no fool....no sirreee!

Eric West · Post by **Eric West** » 26 Dec 2003 3:03 pm

They'll pry my copy of Galvanized Washing Tub from my cold dead fingers.

Too bad it had to end this way.

EJL

Kenny Dail · Post by **Kenny Dail** » 26 Dec 2003 3:17 pm

How and when does a song become "Public Domain?" I have heard copyrights are only good for 25 yrs and it falls in the "public domain" category, unless the copyright is re-newed.

Do you know if you can go to the public library and access their files of music and make copies?

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kd...and the beat goes on...

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 27 Dec 2003 11:45 am

There have been changes to the "Public Domain" laws, and the old "25-year thing" for songs to become PD went away like the $1,500 new car. In fact, if a song isn't PD already, chances are neither you, nor your children, nor your grandchildren will live to see it become PD. The new laws go something like this...

Works written after 1-1-78 will be protected for the life of the author plus 70 years.

Copyrights in effect as of 1-1-78 can continue for 95 years from that date.

Almost nothing will become PD for the next 15 years, due to the "Bono Law".

Sooo....enjoy what is already PD, since you won't be seeing much "new stuff" in that category.