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MCPS licenses, ouch. (edit: oh, it's ok)


mcnach
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[quote name='Mykesbass' timestamp='1365530079' post='2040811']
The license is actually on the side of the musicians - it gives some protection making sure you get paid if it gets covered by someone else and money is collected every time it gets airplay. Can seem like red tape at the time but comes in very handy like when Curtiss Muldoon's Seraphim got reworked as Maddonna's Ray of Light - as the original had been registered they ended up earning a small fortune. If it hadn't been registered they would have had a very hard time proving the track existed.
[/quote]


That's what it seems it is, to register the work and credit it appropriately, and on further conversation with the printing company guy he said that we could get away with not doing all that but that he recommends it to all the bands that they do business with.
My initial scare was due to a poorly worded checklist I was sent by someone else in the company and my initial confusion arriving at the wrong type of license...

A lot of red tape, but it does look reasonable now.

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[quote name='Musky' timestamp='1365532478' post='2040857']
Incidentally McNach, if you're new to all this [url="http://www.bemuso.com"]Bemuso.com[/url] has a very simple checklist (with some explanation) on DIY releases that has an emphasis on getting the job done without getting bogged down in an avalanche of info.
[/quote]

oh, thanks! I just quickly browsed a little and it does look like something I need to read. I wish I had asked these questions a couple of months ago! Our album launch gig has been booked for some time now and it seems we were all totally clueless as to what it involves... We need the CDs and we need them now (27th of April is our party/gig)... I'll read as much as I can tonight, thank you! :)

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[quote name='Musky' timestamp='1365532478'

[url="http://www.bemuso.com"]Bemuso.com[/url] has a very simple checklist (with some explanation) on DIY releases that has an emphasis on getting the job done without getting bogged down in an avalanche of info.
[/quote]

Wonderful site.

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You dont need any licence to record, produce, distribute or sell your own creations or CD's .
You own the intellectual rights and copyright, same with artwork, if it is your Ceations.

Other people need a licence to broadcast, sell, distribute your copyright material.
These organisations should be ashamed of themselves for trying to extract licencing rights to use your own material as you wish.
They are there to collect royalities on behalf of creators and they dont even have exclusive rights to this.
Nothing stops you doing it yourself.
As longs as this is your own creations and artwork, find another printer.
many would be glad of the work.

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[quote name='spacey' timestamp='1365682390' post='2042769']
You dont need any licence to record, produce, distribute or sell your own creations or CD's .
You own the intellectual rights and copyright, same with artwork, if it is your Ceations.

Other people need a licence to broadcast, sell, distribute your copyright material.
These organisations should be ashamed of themselves for trying to extract licencing rights to use your own material as you wish.
They are there to collect royalities on behalf of creators and they dont even have exclusive rights to this.
Nothing stops you doing it yourself.
As longs as this is your own creations and artwork, find another printer.
many would be glad of the work.
[/quote]


You are right, it was a misunderstanding... it's all sorted now :)

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The MCPS license is really important to me as I write a lot of music in the dance industry. With every release about 4 or 5 official remixes of my song is released by other producers at the same time. But, I recently had a dispute with a DJ in Japan that remixed and released a song that I jointly own with the producer onto a compilation album for digital download without our consent. He was pocketing the sales and airplay royalties. It has taken a few months to resolve, but it has been settled without having to use lawyers, the label are now channeling the royalties to the copyright owners and the DJ in question has apologised for causing the fuss. We're happy, even though sales haven't been great anyway! MCPS helped us all the way and it didn't cost us a penny in legal fees.

The MCPS as a body are very good at protecting you both as a songwriter and performer and they give very good advice when you need it. Anyone that wants to make a few quid in this very legally complicated industry needs to be registered with MCPS. PRS doesn't give you much legal protection. PRS pays you the money...MCPS makes sure that you get what should rightly come to you by law. Also, it helps to stop folks illegally selling or broadcasting your live performances. Even if you don't own the copyright to a piece of music but have performed on it you still have some legal protection too.

I encourage anyone who wants to earn a few quid releasing their own music to sign up the MCPS. Once someone has a copy of your music and whatever their intentions are for it is beyond your control. If you don't have any legal protection over it you could lose money that should rightly be yours.

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[quote name='timmo' timestamp='1365686074' post='2042882']
Is this your band?
[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOISxzHHIGk"]https://www.youtube....h?v=fOISxzHHIGk[/url]
[/quote]


yup, that's the one

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[quote name='shizznit' timestamp='1365687159' post='2042909']
The MCPS license is really important to me as I write a lot of music in the dance industry. With every release about 4 or 5 official remixes of my song is released by other producers at the same time. But, I recently had a dispute with a DJ in Japan that remixed and released a song that I jointly own with the producer onto a compilation album for digital download without our consent. He was pocketing the sales and airplay royalties. It has taken a few months to resolve, but it has been settled without having to use lawyers, the label are now channeling the royalties to the copyright owners and the DJ in question has apologised for causing the fuss. We're happy, even though sales haven't been great anyway! MCPS helped us all the way and it didn't cost us a penny in legal fees.

The MCPS as a body are very good at protecting you both as a songwriter and performer and they give very good advice when you need it. Anyone that wants to make a few quid in this very legally complicated industry needs to be registered with MCPS. PRS doesn't give you much legal protection. PRS pays you the money...MCPS makes sure that you get what should rightly come to you by law. Also, it helps to stop folks illegally selling or broadcasting your live performances. Even if you don't own the copyright to a piece of music but have performed on it you still have some legal protection too.

I encourage anyone who wants to earn a few quid releasing their own music to sign up the MCPS. Once someone has a copy of your music and whatever their intentions are for it is beyond your control. If you don't have any legal protection over it you could lose money that should rightly be yours.
[/quote]


Good post.

As I found out more about the MCPS business and it became clearer what its function is, it does seem to be a good thing to join at some point.
For us, this very minute, it would add expense when we are already broke, as we have had far too many expenses lately what with the recording etc. Once we recover through playing gigs (and hopefully selling a CD or two at gigs) in the next few months, we think we should join. It's extremely unlikely our music will get very far for anybody to try to use it illegally, we are but a small band and largely unknown outside Edinburgh... but who knows :lol:

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[quote name='apa' timestamp='1365694916' post='2043095']
Stonking album and even better live. Ive pre ordered mine already. Go buy it. Good luck with the launch Jose :)
[/quote]


oh, have you? thank you!!!
I had no idea you could preorder it yet! :lol: Is that through bandcamp? If so, that will be the electronic version. Once we have the physical CD in our hands we will enable the physical CD sales thingy. The band wanted to enable it already, but killjoy that I am I vetoed it and said that until we have it in our hands we should not do it... just in case.

The CD is good... but it already feels dated to me, I'm sick of it and it has not come out yet! :P I wonder if every band feels the same way about their albums. I also don't think it really captures what we do live. Part of it is because the songs we recorded were part of our older set, which did not even have trumpet. Dima, the trumpet player joined at the right time and he quickly added trumpet to the songs... but in the past year and something we have written a lot of songs and we have already "evolved" a little and sound much better (in my opinion).
Can't wait for the second album! :)

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[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1365695643' post='2043113']
oh, have you? thank you!!!
I had no idea you could preorder it yet! :lol: Is that through bandcamp? If so, that will be the electronic version. Once we have the physical CD in our hands we will enable the physical CD sales thingy. The band wanted to enable it already, but killjoy that I am I vetoed it and said that until we have it in our hands we should not do it... just in case.

The CD is good... but it already feels dated to me, I'm sick of it and it has not come out yet! :P I wonder if every band feels the same way about their albums. I also don't think it really captures what we do live. Part of it is because the songs we recorded were part of our older set, which did not even have trumpet. Dima, the trumpet player joined at the right time and he quickly added trumpet to the songs... but in the past year and something we have written a lot of songs and we have already "evolved" a little and sound much better (in my opinion).
Can't wait for the second album! :)
[/quote] Yay! Bring it on :) I do believe my 'preorder' was through your good self! But if I have to que up with the rest of the hoi palloi then so be it!! <_< :P

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And to answer your question yes it must be a real pain since its fresh for everyone else but youve been over it and disected it a million times already and moved on. But hey its something in the bag and youve got your name on it. No one can take that away so good on yah!

I would agree live you have more energy even in the pared down version I saw but live v record is always like that and the brass brings a different element to it all. But still you do have the musicality and querckyness to your sound which works for me :D

A

Edited by apa
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[quote name='apa' timestamp='1365695955' post='2043126']
Yay! Bring it on :) I do believe my 'preorder' was through your good self! But if I have to que up with the rest of the hoi palloi then so be it!! <_< :P
[/quote]


ok, that makes more sense... I thought you were just being overenthusiastic and could not wait etc etc :lol:

I had already told you that a copy would be making your way as soon as it's official (28th April :) nearly there!) I thought the only thing that was not quite clear yet is whether I would post it or I might be able to deliver in person ;)

I'll email soon :)

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[quote name='apa' timestamp='1365698994' post='2043208']
And to answer your question yes it must be a real pain since its fresh for everyone else but youve been over it and disected it a million times already and moved on. But hey its something in the bag and youve got your name on it. No one can take that away so good on yah!

I would agree live you have more energy even in the pared down version I saw but live v record is always like that and the brass brings a different element to it all. But still you do have the musicality and querckyness to your sound which works for me :D

A
[/quote]

So many things I wish we had done differently on that CD. Starting with... recording newer songs! BUt I guess it's the same for everybody: the new song is always better than the old one :lol:

We have a sax player now too :) :) :) She just joined and it's still early days, she won't be playing live with us just yet, but it's looking very promising.

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[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1365701957' post='2043261']


ok, that makes more sense... I thought you were just being overenthusiastic and could not wait etc etc :lol:

I had already told you that a copy would be making your way as soon as it's official (28th April :) nearly there!) I thought the only thing that was not quite clear yet is whether I would post it or I might be able to deliver in person ;)

I'll email soon :)
[/quote]
Coolio :) Im way ahead of you - already planned the cycle route with a nice pub at the end for Sunday dinner :D A

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[quote name='apa' timestamp='1365754086' post='2043815']
Coolio :) Im way ahead of you - already planned the cycle route with a nice pub at the end for Sunday dinner :D A
[/quote]

and a tow truck for after the pub? ;)

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