RTP-area local music and culture

[Bryk <chscene AT bryk.com>]

I recently helped a friend who helped me co-write a song to sign up  
with ASCAP.

I was a little unimpressed to find ASCAP recently began charging a  
$30 "application fee" for website sign-ups.

I would be the first to admit most new members never earn a penny for  
years, but shouldn't they actually be _encouraging_ new members to  
use the web to sign up, reducing overhead from a telephone/CSR and  
paper-processing standpoint? Wasn't that the whole point of using a  
website? 24-7 access, with less demand on customer service?

Or is it just another cash-grab in the wake of truly rapetastic, pay- 
for-access developments like Sonicbids ($40 application fee for CMJ,  
anyone?)

$40 APPLICATION FEE FOR CMJ!?!?!   WTF?

I would love to see a breakdown of those economics.

Do they have to pay the clubowners or something? Those gosh darned  
New York rents?

Are the headliner bands asking for too much money? (Well, why not get  
back to the original concept... a free for all partay of mostly  
obscure, up and coming band showcases--not the functional equivalent  
of Trade Show Booths for new major and big indie label signings.)

Why does EVERYTHING have to be leveraged off the artists?

*sigh*



On Jul 19, 2007, at 9:09 AM, James Hepler wrote:

> I've heard this from some other folks.  I can say that
> it took numerous phone calls, each more frustrated
> than the last, before BMI called me back about
> anything.
>
> For those who are also considering which org to use,
> ASCAP's contract runs one year, BMI is two, and SESAC
> is three.  ASCAP is owned and governed by writers,
> musicians, and publishers while BMI is run by
> broadcast industry folk.
>
> I'm guessing they all pay out roughly the same, except
> SESAC gives you some money up front.  I could be wrong
> about that part.
>
> There was a workshop on this last week at BCHQ, and
> I'm very sorry I missed it.
>
>
>
> --- Ben Davis <ben_dontspamme_davis AT unc.edu> wrote:
>
> > I've been a SESAC member for 7 years -
> > I joined because they used to be the "only one" that
> > paid out for
> > college radio airplay -
> > but they don't pay much and I have had to call,
> > email and raise hell to
> > get them to pay for TV royalties and stuff -
> > everyone I know on SESAC
> > hates it pretty much -
> >
> > Ben
> >
> > James Hepler wrote:
> > > I know there was a workshop on this last week, and
> > I'm
> > > sorry I missed it, but I was wondering who here
> > has
> > > anything to say about BMI versus ASCAP versus
> > SESAC.
> > > I have been a BMI member for a long time, and I
> > can't
> > > say they've done much for me, not that I have done
> > > much for them.
> > >
> > > I just don't know the differences among these
> > three
> > > juggernauts.  Preferences/horror stories?
> > >
> > > Hep
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>
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________________ 
> ______________
> Take the Internet to Go: Yahoo!Go puts the Internet in your pocket:  
> mail, news, photos & more.
> http://mobile.yahoo.com/go?refer=1GNXIC
> -- ch-scene: the list that mirrors alt.music.chapel-hill --
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