$210,000 Lawsuit Filed Against a Bar

Bars featuring cover bands watch your back…

Nightclubs, bars, restaurants and other establishments featuring live artists that perform cover songs written by famous musicians are being targeted by music copyright companies in an effort collect royalty fees.

A $210,000 copyright infringement lawsuit was recently filed by a group of 13 licensing companies against the owner of the SaltyDawg II, an East Side Tuscan bar. Details related to the specific infringement in this case are not available, but possibilities include live musicians, karaoke, and the jukebox.

There’s more… according to a press release from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), this lawsuit is one of 26 recently filed against bars, restaurants and nightclubs in 17 states.

Unbelievable.

2 people have commented...

*Sam said...

WTF?!?! This is just crazy. I am in a band, and just want to say that every band gets started by learning and performing famous songs in bars. And i would think the artists who are involved with this lawsuit did it the same way my band did. I think this kind of witch hunt is ridiculous.

Posted on August 8th, 2007 at 1:20 pm

*mike said...

ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS!!!!! ALTHOUGH IT WOULD ENCOURAGE ALOT OF ORIGINAL MUSIC TO BE PRODUCED, IT WOULD SURELY END A TON OF CAREERS FOR COVER BANDS. E-V-E-R-Y BAND, EVEN THE ONES THAT BECOME BANDS THAT PEOPLE COVER (GUNS N’ ROSES, U2, SMASHING PUMPKINS, VAN HALEN, ETC….)HAVE DONE COVER SONGS! IT IS DAMN NEAR IMPOSSIBLE NOT TO COVER A SONG UNLESS YOUR GOD’S GIFT TO GUITARS AND DRUMS! GOOD GOD WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON IN THE MUSIC WORLD TODAY???????