Copyright thugs are ruining America.
OregonLive.com : Everything Oregon A performance of the Jimi Hendrix classic, “The Wind Cries Mary,” may cost Michael Dorr his restaurant. Dorr, the 37-year-old owner of Imbibe on Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard, has been slapped with a federal lawsuit by companies that own the rights to a trio of popular classics that were performed at Dorr's restaurant in 2005. The songs at the center of the suit?Other than the Hendrix song, the music companies say Stevie Wonder's “That Girl,” and a 1971 tune, “Slippin' into Darkness.”
Dorr says a rep from the American Society of Musicians and Publishers paid an unannounced visit to his restaurant one night and heard covers of the songs performed by local band “Black Notes.”
Because his place features local musicians and covers are rare, he didn't think he had to pay the musicians and publishers group an estimated $2,000 to cover performances of copyrighted tunes.
But the owners of the songs, including Wonder and Hendrix's estate, say he does.
Now they're suing Dorr for copyright infringement - and they're seeking payment of between $750 and $30,000 for each song, along with attorney fees.
Just is not right. I have extreme sympathy for Mr. Dorr. Running a restaurant is difficult enough without copywrong thugs smashing up your place with their subpoenas.
When I waited tables at the Mag South, periodically a weasel faced rep from ASCAP and/or BMI would come and harass Kent Cole, the owner of the cafe, because of the music being piped over the speakers. I wonder if he ever got in real trouble? They did switch from allowing staff to program music (me being a prime suspect) to simply playing the radio, with annoying commercials and all.
