Well, part of what's going to be discussed is the Kritzerland release we had to put on hold. I have a signed contract for that release, but because it's the first release of the music the "representative" of the composer's widow contacted me the day before we were to announce, telling me I didn't have the "right" to release the CD because one has to get permission from the publisher for first use and we hadn't done that. Of course, no one EVER makes a deal out of that - we put out many first use CDs, do the mechanical publishing license and that's that. In fact, this is the first time I've ever been contacted about it. Now, this turd who is making problems says he's her "representative." This is a guy who lives to make trouble for others. He knew about this release for over a week prior to contacting me, and yet he contacts me the day before our announcement. Then, when I tell him to do whatever need be done, he says he can't get hold of her.
Then MGM writes him a nice e-mail, basically saying that they would appreciate it if he'd get the deal done in a timely manner because they like me and don't want me to have any grief - nice, but loaded with implications (this guy is trying to license from them). He says he'll speak to her last Thursday. He didn't. I write him. He says it's not HIS fault - the woman is out of the country. I say funny you were able to contact her to find out that information, so what's the hangup? This release has already cost me a good chunk of dough, so today we're discussing how to proceed - one way or another, it's coming out and coming out soon. I don't think the woman has a clew as to what this fool is doing - I'm quite sure she'd like to have the music available is what I think. And since the ONLY way it's going to be available is through us (because MGM will NEVER license it to the fool and without the master recording rights he nor anyone else can do it, publishing or no publishing), I should think she'll be fine with it. She'll make some dough, and the 1000 units will sell out in days and she still owns the publishing. I'm going to take this creep DOWN.
Wow! What a pain in the butt! I hope this works out for you.
Your tale of woe reminded me of something that happened when I was in the process of obtaining the licenses for my Al Jolson play. [I wish I'd thought of it earlier. I'd have put it in my book.]
I found almost all of the music publishers to be very cooperative in letting me have the rights to the various Jolson songs.
The only one that said "No" was the publisher of "Sonny Boy". [How can you do a Jolson play without "Sonny Boy"?]
The publisher, whose name I don't recall, owned the lion's share of the copyright, but in researching the song, I discovered that a very small percentage of the song was owned by a very nice lady that I'd never heard of...
AND SHE GAVE ME THE LICENSE.
[Under copyright law, unless there is a contract restriction, any person who owns a portion of a copyright can license that work...providing that all owners get their fair share of the payment.]
I asked this lady how she happened to own a portion of the copyright. Turns out that she was the widow of the illegitimate son of composer Buddy DeSylva. DeSylva had willed it to his offspring.
I can't tell you how much I enjoyed telling the publishing company's rep that I had the rights.
