I want to start an Irish band called the Peter O'Tooles. Might this be a problem? [more inside]
posted by Astro Zombie on Nov 4, 2009 - 23 answers

First question posted. Hope you can help :-) Together with a friend we are working on writing some online educational materials. As part of this we want to use snippets of commercially available songs and their lyrics (up to 60 seconds) and make them available on our website for streaming (not downloading!). Learners pay for access to the site (on a cost-recovery basis). Learners would access the site from many different countries. We've been trying to find out how to deal with the musical rights issues but don't know who to contact and who to pay, especially since our learners will be from all around the world. How do we find out if, and if so where, we need to pay to whom, and what? Thanks!
posted by sinbarambam on Sep 25, 2008 - 8 answers

Is there any chance of a 19 year old male getting in to a club in NYC next Friday? [more inside]
posted by phrontist on Jul 13, 2008 - 11 answers

If Microsoft pays Universal music 1.00 for each Zune sold, to help them recoup losses due to piracy, does that mean that I can put any Universal music I want on the device? [more inside]
posted by stupidcomputernickname on Nov 10, 2006 - 14 answers

My band have been offered a contract from by a record company and want to get it checked out before we sign it. Basically I'm looking for personal recommendations of entertainment lawyers in the UK. I don't just want to pick one out of the yellow pages if I can avoid it.
posted by chrispy108 on May 8, 2006 - 7 answers

Our band recently recorded, produced, and distributed an album that has an explicit lyric. What are the legal ramifications of distributing music with explicit lyrics without that label? [more inside]
posted by joecacti on Apr 20, 2006 - 7 answers

Where can I find clear and direct laws regarding the playback of backed-up music at a place of business in the United States? [more inside]
posted by Dean Keaton on Apr 19, 2006 - 25 answers

I am putting together a CD of "on hold" music for my law firm, and I want it to be made up of songs about lawyers and the law (e.g., "I Fought the law", "Send Lawyers Guns & Money", "Lawyers In Love", etc.). What other songs can you suggest?
posted by Carsey on Sep 15, 2005 - 73 answers

A friend of mine is a musician and his first album was signed to an independent record label. Now he and the label both want to promote the album to podcasters, but they're worried by the fact that he's registered with ASCAP. ASCAP wants a podcaster to pay $300 for the privilege of promoting his music. The label owner is willing to license the album through Creative Commons, but could a Podcaster still be sued for playing his music? Outside of terminating his contract with ASCAP, how does a signed artist and label go about calling off the ASCAP/BMI dogs? Here's a link to the ASCAP agreement.
posted by Pinwheel on Jul 19, 2005 - 11 answers

What legal hurdles would be involved in writing a concept album that basically retells a novel? [more inside]
posted by 23skidoo on Jul 19, 2005 - 10 answers

I know that if you want to sell a CD with cover songs on it, you have to get permission from the artist/copyright holder. But what about if you just want to record covers and make them available for free? For fun, I'd like to record myself playing some covers and put 'em up on Ourmedia, but I want to stay on the good side of the law. [more inside]
posted by danb on May 26, 2005 - 9 answers

I want to start an Internet radio station (streaming and archived). How do I deal with the royalties issues legally? [more inside]
posted by wackybrit on Feb 26, 2005 - 4 answers

(RIAA-filter) Concerning downloading copyrighted material, is the act of downloading illegal, or just possesion? If you download a song and delete it, are you stil culpable? Of what offense? And is intent a factor?
posted by Edible Energy on Feb 12, 2005 - 18 answers

Is John Ashcroft's singing of "Let the Eagle Soar" a copyrighted recording, or does him (formerly) being a gov't official doing it at some strange gov't event in public make it public domain? [more inside]
posted by mathowie on Nov 11, 2004 - 12 answers

MTV series like the Real World use a huge amount of current popular music as background noise. How can this not be prohibitive in cost?
posted by smackfu on Nov 8, 2004 - 21 answers