Good news on the vinyl to CD front!

Well since my heavy-handed visit a fortnight ago I've been carrying out further investigations whilst simultaneously being very careful and very strict about my business. Last week I was contacted by a man with a couple of 1963 LPs by Alex Harvey, both on Polydor and both unreleased on CD.

The guy had already contacted Polydor to urge them to release these as CDs but had basically been told 'no go'. That's why he came to me. Naturally I told him all about the difficulties I'd had with the so-called authorities, but then I decided I'd see what I could do if I approached the record company.

Well several calls later I finally tracked down the person in charge of Legal and Business Affairs at Polydor (for which read Universal, including "A&M Records, Decca Record Company, Deutsche Grammophon, Geffen Records, Interscope Records, Island Def Jam Music Group, Jimmy and Doug's Farmclub.com, MCA Nashville, MCA Records, Mercury Records, Motown Records, Philips, Polydor, Universal Records, and Verve Music Group as well as a multitude of record labels owned or distributed by its record company subsidiaries around the world") and had a very enlightening chat.

First of all they couldn't give two hoots about making a copy like this for personal use. Clearly a bit different if I was making copies for broadcast or other transmission - or of course for pirating. Secondly she said that prior to the advent of the CD there were no clauses in contracts to preclude transfer to other media. To make things simple, I've basically been given carte blanche to continue my kind of work on all Universal labels' records prior to about 1983/4 - so long as it remains within the personal use parameter. Next step is to ring the counterparts at the other mega-label groups to see what they say.

In the meantime I'm wondering quite where the UK law stands on entrapment, which has been big news lately over here...

[TROGDOR!!!]

Andrew,

Whew!  I'm glad to hear that!

One thought though, and I'm sure you've already considerred it, but do you have Universal's blessing in writing?  I understand that it may sound ridiculous to them, but if it were me in your shoes, I would certainly want it incase the authorities came knocking again...

Josh

... In the meantime I'm wondering quite where the UK law stands on entrapment, which has been big news lately over here...

The stingers got stung....

Not quite along the same lines, but akin to the "big brother" theme... recently they have posted articles in the newspapers about tracking down "file sharer's".  The new twist is... they have a website and you can go there and type your "user name" in and see if your on the list.  Well, guess what... if you weren't, (on the list) then you will be after you type your name in.  Presently they are supposedly trying to identify systems with large volumes of "share" files.  It will be interesting to see where this ugly beast rears it's head next!

One thought though, and I'm sure you've already considerred it, but do you have Universal's blessing in writing?

Good thinking, Batman!

I guess that's another 25 phone calls over a week to try and find the woman again...

[TROGDOR!!!]

Good luck!  

Sounds like a big, ongoing witch hunt over there!  I'm still waiting for that stuff to start happening here.

beetle Posted:
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Sounds like a big, ongoing witch hunt over there! I'm still waiting for that stuff to start happening here.

It already has on the "file sharing" front!!  

Andrew Rose -

Do you get a listing of numbers called when you get your phone bill?  Would that help you locate your target faster?

Taking the3jsgrve's comment about "get it in writing" a step further, a suggestion:

Write down the specifics of what you remember from your conversation wherein you were granted approval.  Make up a contract, friendly rather than severe, that states the various things you wish to do - since a company may grant you some, but not all, of your desires.  List them in bullet form, with a space in front of each to place a checkmark.  At the bottom, have a space where you can write in the company's name, and have a place for their representative's signature and your signature, and date.

After a phone conversation wherein you are granted permissions, check off the appropriate entries on your sheet (which match the permissions you have just been granted), write in the name of the company at the bottom, sign your name, enter the date, and facs it to the company representative for his/her signature.  Ask them to facs a copy back.

Now, no future squabbling about who said what in the conversation.  When the strange folks in black hats come in the middle of the night to shine lights in your eyes, you just hand them your signed piece of paper.

Advertise as a consultant.  Charge other people big bucks to give them this same advice.

[TROGDOR!!!]

Advertise as a consultant.  Charge other people big bucks to give them this same advice.

Now, that's a good idea!  

Josh

Do you get a listing of numbers called when you get your phone bill?  Would that help you locate your target faster?

Getting the right number to call was simple enough - it was getting that phone answered that was the problem. I was starting to thing the person concerned didn't exist and I'd been given a hoax number for troublesome callers!

Advertise as a consultant.  Charge other people big bucks to give them this same advice.

     

The new twist is... they have a website and you can go there and type your "user name" in and see if your on the list.  Well, guess what... if you weren't, (on the list) then you will be after you type your name in.

Good news for all the people called 'http://emule-project.net' and 'KaZaA-Lite User'

The new twist is... they have a website and you can go there and type your "user name" in and see if your on the list.  Well, guess what... if you weren't, (on the list) then you will be after you type your name in.

Good news for all the people called 'http://emule-project.net' and 'KaZaA-Lite User'

Hehe, it sure is

I'd be doing nothing till I got that in writing , with specific details. you never know when the person you spoke to may move on, be instructed to forget the conversation or simply change her mind.

I'd be doing nothing till I got that in writing , with specific details. you never know when the person you spoke to may move on, be instructed to forget the conversation or simply change her mind.

Well yesterday I had very similar conversations with the copyright and legal people at BMG in London. Seems like they take a similar view to Universal, though they're slightly more organised. In this case you fax them the details and they'll reply with a standard letter granting appropriate permission, pretty much as a formality it seems. I didn't enquire about copying artwork - maybe that can wait for another time!

Something the people at trading standards and the BPI might like to ponder a while was raised by the BMG guy - the National Sound Archive regularly do exactly the same thing for their clients, and again it's just a matter of putting the details in the fax and sending it to BMG. Now I wonder whether the BPI would like to carry out an undercover investigation with the National Sound Archive to check whether they're jumping through all the hoops, especially where copyright can't be established?

The more I dig around and find out the more I get really pissed off with the way I was treated...