Under the current law, performers’ copyright runs out after 50 years while creators’ copyrights (composers and authors) expire 70 years after their deaths. The European Commission is backing a 45 year extension to this law but the UK government is wary. So an important meeting took place in the Abbey Road Studios on the 17th of November where performers were moved to sign a petition aimed at Gordon Brown, Uk’s prime minister, to increase their copyrights to 95 years. 28 of those performers took part in the Fair Play For Musicians video. Here is an interactive form of lobbying that just might bear its fruits:
Divergences between performers and creators have bred many conflicts throughout the years, mostly on a legislative level as hired musicians have never been blessed with the same rights as their counter parts. Rightly so you might think, the author being the ‘creative minds’ behind songs should be entitled to a larger amount of the pie. Well in many cases, performers are only left with the crust and some crumbles and they often play a VERY important role not only in the execution and production of an album, but also in the creative process.
So yeah, I perfectly agree that they should get the extension and retain those copyrights at least until the end of their lives.
Bark?
