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PRS Payments when playing covers live ...


lanark
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I was just wondering what the routine is for this. We're going to be playing our first gig in York on Dec 4th (a preview night run by a friend, we have 8 songs, roughly enough for half a full show). The set consists of 5 covers and 3 originals.

I was wondering what, if anything, we do about PRS payments - does this come out of the venues licencing or is it somethiing that we have to submit and pay for?

Not sure if this topic should be put here or under gigs, so any admin shoudl feel free to move it if they think I've put it in the wrong place.

Thanks for the advice, in advance.

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[quote name='chris_b' post='659328' date='Nov 19 2009, 03:31 PM']The promoter should pay the PRS. If he asks you to fill in a form with the song titles then he might be above board, but I bet he won't![/quote]

That's kind of what I wanted to know - whether it's our responsibility to make payments or the venue's. We'll have the details ready just in case.

EDIT: damn you lot are quick at replying.

Edited by lanark
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[quote name='HeavyJay' post='659332' date='Nov 19 2009, 03:35 PM']Most places we play have a PRS certificate on the wall but only twice have we filled out a form with the songs we played, both times for a local festival.

As far as I know it's the venue's responsibility.[/quote]
The only time we were asked to fill in a form with my current lot we had been warned by the venue that someone from PRS would be there and want a list on the night. Just as well he was otherwise we'd have been playing to the bar staff :)

Prior to that when I played in a club band we were occasionally asked to fill in a song sheet for their PRS return, but very rarely.

At the end of the day its the venues responsibility through their PRS licence fee, not yours to make any payment.

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So are DJs supposed to do this too, submit a full list of songs that they've played in their set?

Because, to be honest, a lot of the DJs I know don't actually know the titles and artists of the songs they've played (I go to salsa nights and they tend to pass CDs between each other and the track details aren't always attached - so you ask what the last record was and they'll say disc 12 track 5 or something)

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[quote name='lanark' post='659988' date='Nov 20 2009, 11:20 AM']So are DJs supposed to do this too, submit a full list of songs that they've played in their set?

Because, to be honest, a lot of the DJs I know don't actually know the titles and artists of the songs they've played (I go to salsa nights and they tend to pass CDs between each other and the track details aren't always attached - so you ask what the last record was and they'll say disc 12 track 5 or something)[/quote]
I would think generally they will be in the same boat as bands, ie it will be the venues responsibility to hold the licence and you seem to get asked for a list so infrequently it's not worth worrying about.

In the club band we put down a load of songs the vocalist in the originals band had registered to up his play count by the odd one here or there. I don't suppose it ever had any effect on the major artists we actually played (or even the check the vocalist got for pennies) one way or another

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Hey Lanark! I'm having the same problem too but im thinking maybe my band can get away with it as we're only doing one cover song. The song we're covering is from a Japanese rock band and their music isn't released in UK at all. Do we still need to pay royalties? I mean tbh... i doubt anyone in the audience would have heard of the song let alone the band who created the song (unless it's a crowd or if there's someone who's into Japanese rock music)

I was thinking when announcing the song to just announce the song name and skip the band name lol

Edited by erisu
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[quote name='erisu' post='660140' date='Nov 20 2009, 01:52 PM']Hey Lanark! I'm having the same problem too but im thinking maybe my band can get away with it as we're only doing one cover song. The song we're covering is from a Japanese rock band and their music isn't released in UK at all. Do we still need to pay royalties? I mean tbh... i doubt anyone in the audience would have heard of the song let alone the band who created the song (unless it's a crowd or if there's someone who's into Japanese rock music)

I was thinking when announcing the song to just announce the song name and skip the band name lol[/quote]

Two things:

1. As a band you're only responsibility is to list the songs played on the PRS form if you are asked to. The financial side is covered by the venue's PRS licence. You don't have to pay anything.

2. If you are asked to fill in the form do it. You might not think it counts for much, but about a quarter of my PRS royalties come from performances of songs I've written happening outside of the UK. I don't know how they got their but I'm just glad they did!

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[quote name='stingrayfan' post='660173' date='Nov 20 2009, 02:25 PM']:)

OP: It's worrying that you're worrying about PRS paperwork on your first gig. Just enjoy it...[/quote]

Worrying is rather overstating it - I just don't want to be caught out with any unexpected paperwork.

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[quote name='thumperbob 2002' post='659337' date='Nov 19 2009, 03:41 PM']Wow- how responsible- the only time i fill out a form at a venue is for the internal revenue service ( taxman ) signed Mickey Mouse[/quote]

We have a number of these apart from mickey Mouse

Norman D Landing is a favourite, as is Chris P Bacon.
There is also Ivor Longcock and many more

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[quote name='BigRedX' post='660242' date='Nov 20 2009, 03:35 PM']Two things:

1. As a band you're only responsibility is to list the songs played on the PRS form if you are asked to. The financial side is covered by the venue's PRS licence. You don't have to pay anything.

2. If you are asked to fill in the form do it. You might not think it counts for much, but about a quarter of my PRS royalties come from performances of songs I've written happening outside of the UK. I don't know how they got their but I'm just glad they did![/quote]

Ah brilliant! I'll be sure to follow this rule in future :)

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