Rockola 461

Well, that's even more, worser-er ! You can NOT operate it for free, as when that is done, it ceases to be a "Jukebox", by law. To operate it for free, you will need to nogatiate fees from ASCAP, BMI, and SECORE ( or whatever they call it today) ! Ron Rich

Ron Rich wrote:Well, that's even more, worser-er ! You can NOT operate it for free, as when that is done, it ceases to be a "Jukebox", by law. To operate it for free, you will need to nogatiate fees from ASCAP, BMI, and SECORE ( or whatever they call it today) ! Ron Rich

Ron, I'm building a so-called "juke"/CD player from scratch here. (no coin mech)
I plan on using it in the basement rec-room, but also would like to entertain groups at parties, block parties, etc on occasion.
So, being a glorified "record player" I'm just a bit concerned about your comments of "fees" and stuff.
WTF?

Hi Matt,
Vhenever muzic is "preformed in publick", fees must be paid to the artists who own the copyrights, to that music. "ASCAP" is the largest group, owning many copyrights, and is very agressive in maintaining their rights (collecting fees, and taking those that did / will not pay the fees, to court). There are very specific requirements as to what is a "jukebox". One requirement is that it must charge a fee per play. Another is that it must MECHANICALLY re-produce sound. Ron Rich

Ron Rich wrote:Hi Matt,
Vhenever muzic is "preformed in publick", fees must be paid to the artists who own the copyrights, to that music. "ASCAP" is the largest group, owning many copyrights, and is very agressive in maintaining their rights (collecting fees, and taking those that did / will not pay the fees, to court). There are very specific requirements as to what is a "jukebox". One requirement is that it must charge a fee per play. Another is that it must MECHANICALLY re-produce sound. Ron Rich

If by playing a CD or record is "mechanical", then yes, my equipment does that.
However, so does many boomboxes and record players over the decades.
And for decades, taking such equipment to a "gathering" for "free" entertainment didn't become an issue - involving revenue.
People just enjoyed the "party" or such, and that was that.
Mary Jane could take her victrola to her friend's house and play 45's for her girlfriends...
Uncle boozer took his boombox to work to enjoy his Beatles cassettes...
And Grandmom Cootchie remembered dancing to the polka at the Polish sock-hop.

There wasn't no damn "fees" to deal with.

Seems to me, I legally "bought" my records, paid any royalties through "tax" or whatever, and own my music.
Seems to me if I want to occasionally share some of this enjoyment with others, no one is gonna thwart my doing so in any way.
It's called American Freedom.
And I ain't payin' a damn dime for it.
What you're telling me is I have to "pay" this ASCAP money if I load up the console stereo in the dining room with records before I serve my guests dinner?
Preposterous!

Matt,
Blame your government--a little piece of paper signed in 1978, called the "International Copyright Accords", or something similar, (aka "Borne convention", I believe) makes it a federal crime to( among other things) play music, in public, without paying for it-and if you look at most of the "containers" your CD's came in, and/or on some CD's themselves, you will find notice of this fact--

Ron Rich wrote:Matt,
Blame your government--a little piece of paper signed in 1978, called the "International Copyright Accords", or something similar, (aka "Borne convention", I believe) makes it a federal crime to( among other things) play music, in public, without paying for it-and if you look at most of the "containers" your CD's came in, and/or on some CD's themselves, you will find notice of this fact--

I googled Berne convention.
Bunch of babble babble.

Didn't see anything related to me playing music for people... didn't bother to read tons of babble.
Will still excersize my freedom to do what I please.

Matt,
Good luck--till ASCAP takes you to court, like they did to my partner and me--you can NOT win this one--believe me !
Ron Rich

Ron Rich wrote:Matt,
Good luck--till ASCAP takes you to court, like they did to my partner and me--you can NOT win this one--believe me !
Ron Rich

Ron, I highly doubt a bunch of people at some summer block party will even care enough to "report" me to authorities.
Once they've got some booze in them, and hear oldies, etc and dance....
I also highly doubt they'd even know what ASCAP is.... let alone this stupid "law" you talk about.
One of a plethora of stupid laws "on the books" in this country.

That's what's so wrong about it all - they wanna make it so you can't even crap without offending someone or paying a fine.
By the way, I see it's "all the rage" for the homeless to crap on the streets in San Fran & NYC... funny stuff.