Re: First Collecting Society

On Thu, May 25, 2000, Sylvie Fodor <s.fodor[_at_]akg.de> wrote:
>
> the first collecting society for authors was created in 1847 in
> France by two musicians (Alexandre Bourget and Victor Parizot)
> who refused to pay for their seats and for their drinks in the
> cafe des Ambassadeurs in Paris, because they were listening to
> their own music without getting paid for it. [...]

May I suggest that if authors and artists and musicians wish to reclaim their rights in the U.S. they deliberately emulate the brave act of these two musicians? Copyright law in the U.S. since the Bono Act of 1998 exempts bars and restaurants from having to pay such royalties. No doubt it would get some media attention if instead of suing Napster and their customers, some musicians instead dined at restaurants that played their music, and then refused to pay the bills, even going to jail if necessary?

-- 
"Eric"  Eric Eldred  Eldritch Press
mailto:Eldred[_at_]EldritchPress.org
http://www.eldritchpress.org/EricEldred.vcf