Expiring songs issue a loud death rattle
Sunday, May 13th, 2007If they don’t already, the relevant politicians at Westminster must by now be considering this issue the proverbial bad penny.
Recording artists from the first rock and roll years have been clamouring for their work to be given succour at the legislative fountain of youth, thereby rejuvenating their aged, soon to expire copyrights. This issue has been going on for some time (see the duly noted® blog; Copyright on UK music recordings – why no extension? dated January 16th 2007), with the UK government appearing unwilling to extend in light of last year’s Gowers Report recommending a non-extension, thereby effectively killing further argument. But still there appears no sign of a let-up.
The latest episode in this ongoing saga has had Sharon Donegan, the widow of 1950s recording artist Lonnie Donegan, whose hit 1956 song “Rock Island Line” went out of copyright at the end of last year, calling on MPs to bring recording artists’ terms in line with those of songwriters’ copyright. (See BBC News web article: “Donegan widow in copyright call”)
Currently, recording artists’ copyright lasts 50 years from the release of their track, during which time they can receive royalties from sales. Songwriters on the other hand earn royalties from their work for life, plus seventy years after their death. Clearly a major disparity.
Unsurprising then that Sharon Donegan and others like Sir Cliff Richard, also seeing the imminent demise of copyright on his earliest releases, are clamouring for a reassessment. As I’ve previously written, this situation brings to light how not just recording stars of yesteryear but their surviving relatives are affected by current legislation, and that those stars who’ve had neither the sustained celebrity nor the kind of income of their brighter and longer-living luminaries could well be left in a desperate situation when what little income they still receive stops altogether. And it’s Mrs Donegan herself who is in just that situation.
The Phonographic Performance Ltd (PPL), the UK’s broadcast royalties collection society, is also keeping up the pressure in its own way; releasing a limited edition CD specifically for MPs. Entitled “Copyright Gap” – in direct reference to “Cumberland Gap”, another song by Lonnie Donegan also facing imminent expiry of copyright – it is hoped this will keep this issue ringing in the ears of MPs.
I cannot say I’m optimistic they’ll truly listen however. The Labour government’s track record on craning its ears to catch the clamour of public lobbying is not good. Hundreds of thousands petitioned against road pricing, and anyone remember the million demonstrating against the war in Iraq? Both were effectively given the brush off by TonyBlair. A petition of just 5,000 industry artists back in January, and this latest call will unlikely fare better. Nor will a change of premier be likely to alter the outcome of this situation; it was Gordon Brown who commissioned the Gower Report, after all. Will he go back on it once he moves into No 10?
Perhaps our home grown talent should become US citizens; their transatlantic recording artist cousins currently enjoy 95 years of copyright.
© 2007 Julian Boote All Rights reserved.
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