Creed goes out suing...strippers. Janet joins in...
06-11-04 | 03:09 AM
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From: WAS looking for My Own Private Stuckeyville, but stuck in Liberty City (while missing Vice City)
Creed goes out suing...strippers. Janet joins in...
Hit Makers Sue Strip Club
Scott Stapp, lead singer for the rock group Creed has joined with superstar Janet Jackson and several less famous artists, to sue a Clearwater, Florida, strip club they claim is playing "unauthorized music." The artists state they never performed just for the fun of it, they want to get paid -- and now they want the club, Diamond Dolls, to pay for what they play.
The artists claim Diamond Dolls let its strippers dance to their recorded music but failed to pay a required licensing fee to BMI, Broadcast Music, Inc., which pays royalties to songwriters.
Top music attorney Jeff Blum, of Los Angeles' Davis, Wright and Termaine Law Firm, says bars and clubs are charged a reasonable amount of money, which goes to protect not only the rich and famous, but also the struggling artists.
"Music is not free, and it shouldn't be," Blum told us. "Creators of music are suffering because people are not complying with copyright law and have a belief that if music is out there, they can do whatever they want with it."
Diamond Dolls denies the charges. But BMI, who is the lead plaintiff in the case, claims to have actually sent in researchers to monitor clubs that won't pay the fee. When a club plays one of the 4.5 million copyrighted songs registered without having paid performance fees, BMI moves into action.
BMI officials tell us Diamond Dolls' fees would have amounted to less than $1,000 a year, and insist that they only sued after the club ignored repeated warnings.
Scott Stapp, lead singer for the rock group Creed has joined with superstar Janet Jackson and several less famous artists, to sue a Clearwater, Florida, strip club they claim is playing "unauthorized music." The artists state they never performed just for the fun of it, they want to get paid -- and now they want the club, Diamond Dolls, to pay for what they play.
The artists claim Diamond Dolls let its strippers dance to their recorded music but failed to pay a required licensing fee to BMI, Broadcast Music, Inc., which pays royalties to songwriters.
Top music attorney Jeff Blum, of Los Angeles' Davis, Wright and Termaine Law Firm, says bars and clubs are charged a reasonable amount of money, which goes to protect not only the rich and famous, but also the struggling artists.
"Music is not free, and it shouldn't be," Blum told us. "Creators of music are suffering because people are not complying with copyright law and have a belief that if music is out there, they can do whatever they want with it."
Diamond Dolls denies the charges. But BMI, who is the lead plaintiff in the case, claims to have actually sent in researchers to monitor clubs that won't pay the fee. When a club plays one of the 4.5 million copyrighted songs registered without having paid performance fees, BMI moves into action.
BMI officials tell us Diamond Dolls' fees would have amounted to less than $1,000 a year, and insist that they only sued after the club ignored repeated warnings.
06-11-04 | 06:49 AM
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Don't strippers always dance to music? So they want royalties for every time some stripper in podunk arkansas plays one of their crappy songs? Get a life. 
06-11-04 | 09:50 AM
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Originally posted by Michael Corvin
Don't strippers always dance to music? So they want royalties for every time some stripper in podunk arkansas plays one of their crappy songs? Get a life.
Don't strippers always dance to music? So they want royalties for every time some stripper in podunk arkansas plays one of their crappy songs? Get a life.
06-11-04 | 09:57 AM
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Originally posted by Cyberock
Why should the stripper have the right to make money dancing to a song and the artist doesn't? Stripping is a business so it should have to pay a fee. I also believe the royalties are fairly cheap, something like 7 cents a song per play. 7 cents from what that stripper just made in tips is nothing. Though that 7 cents from every club in the U.S. starts to add up to the artist and they should have the right to collect.
Why should the stripper have the right to make money dancing to a song and the artist doesn't? Stripping is a business so it should have to pay a fee. I also believe the royalties are fairly cheap, something like 7 cents a song per play. 7 cents from what that stripper just made in tips is nothing. Though that 7 cents from every club in the U.S. starts to add up to the artist and they should have the right to collect.
06-11-04 | 09:58 AM
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From: WAS looking for My Own Private Stuckeyville, but stuck in Liberty City (while missing Vice City)
Originally posted by Cyberock
Why should the stripper have the right to make money dancing to a song and the artist doesn't? Stripping is a business so it should have to pay a fee. I also believe the royalties are fairly cheap, something like 7 cents a song per play. 7 cents from what that stripper just made in tips is nothing. Though that 7 cents from every club in the U.S. starts to add up to the artist and they should have the right to collect.
Why should the stripper have the right to make money dancing to a song and the artist doesn't? Stripping is a business so it should have to pay a fee. I also believe the royalties are fairly cheap, something like 7 cents a song per play. 7 cents from what that stripper just made in tips is nothing. Though that 7 cents from every club in the U.S. starts to add up to the artist and they should have the right to collect.
06-11-04 | 11:19 AM
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Don't know about USA but in UK where recorded music is played in a shop [or wherever] the proprietor is obliged to purchase an annual Performing Rights license.
The money money so gathered is shared out among artistes. Not sure of the exact fee or the formula employed but it is not extortionate.
The money money so gathered is shared out among artistes. Not sure of the exact fee or the formula employed but it is not extortionate.
06-11-04 | 11:41 AM
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Originally posted by Deftones, Esq
So hang on a second. If they turned on the radio and danced to that, they'd have to pay also? Please.
So hang on a second. If they turned on the radio and danced to that, they'd have to pay also? Please.
Originally posted by cungar
Isn't it sacreligious to grub for money when you're a multimillionare prick?
Isn't it sacreligious to grub for money when you're a multimillionare prick?
06-11-04 | 02:23 PM
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Originally posted by TheDude
That joke just never gets tired!
That joke just never gets tired!
06-11-04 | 10:49 PM
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I believe that any establishment (clubs, grocery stores and even places that play Muzac) all pay a fee to these music organization. Of course I don't know how these organizations know that Creed music was played x amount of times in a month. It's possible that the money goes into a pool and all artist are paid equally.
06-13-04 | 12:56 AM
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From: san diego
this is dumb! it's kind of like a free plug.. you get all kinds of genre's at strip clubs.. what if x amount of customers become fans of what they are listning too.. i know i had never heard tool till i went to a stip club.. been a fan ever since 
can't the stippers sue for all the free advertising they have given them.. sounds dumb! but so is there law suit
can't the stippers sue for all the free advertising they have given them.. sounds dumb! but so is there law suit
06-15-04 | 07:28 AM
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Originally posted by turborobb
wow, not even Gene Simmons is THAT greedy.
wow, not even Gene Simmons is THAT greedy.
He is kicking himself right now that he didn't think of it first.
06-15-04 | 02:26 PM
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This is ridiculous! If the club/bar buys the CD the band/record label gets paid end of story. Also, the band/record label in essence receives free promotion from having their music played in these establishments, which I assume would actually promote sales. And they wonder why sales are down. Could it be greed?