What we're doing here is just kind of talking about this stuff...
I don't really see that we can do much about it..
At least it doesn't look like many of us are so inclined..
For myself, I'm too old and too tired to fight much anymore......

I've thought about it a bit, and I have come up with some notions that I think will probably piss off just about everybody !

As a songwriter, I can ask my fellow songwriters, "How much money do you want to make for writing a song ?"

That guy (or girl) or band or whatever that's working in that bar or lounge or coffee shop or whatever is not getting rich doing what they're doing.
Nobody ever got rich working in lounges, not even in the good old days I'm always harping about.

How much should they pay you for playing your song ?
Is your song the reason they got the gig ?

The guy that invented the channel lock got paid.
Should every plumber or electrician that gets paid for doing a job where he used a channel lock send a commision to the inventor ?

If I were king, I'd say to the writers, let these folks perform your songs, maybe somebody will hear the song and go up to the band and say "what's that song, who's it by ?",,and then go buy it.

I'd tell ASCAP and the rest that it's tough enough to keep a saloon open these days without the additional cost and headaches involved with paying you guys this money (which is not, it appears, getting back to the writers anyway)

I've played "cover" songs my whole life.

When I go out to perform my songs, I alwso include many "cover" songs...
Why ?
Because I love good songs, and so does my audience.

I sat in front of an audience of JPF members in Nashville and mixed my songs with covers..
I had a great time, the audience had a great time, it was alot of fun.
I don't think I was cheating them or myself.

And, by the way, since I'm in ASCAP and BMI do I have to pay myself when I play my own songs on a gig ?

So, writers, give the performers a break.
It's tough enough out there...
Clubowners...pay the few buck and let it go..
Oh by the way...
If clubowners do pay the money, it's one more excuse to raise drink prices or cut pay to the entertainers..
And, ASCAP and the rest....find another way to steal money for your executive committees.

There....

Have I alienated just about everybody ?

Then, my work here is done and I'm gonna go back to figuring out how I'm gonna post some theory lessons over in the Theory and Technical forum.

some of you should poin us over there..
We're having alot of fun !

Bob (ducking and covering) Young