Singer In Grocery Store Ordered To Pay Royalties

yog writes "An assistant at a grocery store in Clackmannanshire, Scotland, was ordered by the Performing Right Society (PRS) to obtain a performer's license and to pay royalties because she was informally singing popular songs while stocking groceries. The PRS later backed down and apologized. This after the same store had turned off the radio after a warning from the PRS. We have entered an era where music is no longer an art for all to enjoy, but rather a form of private property that must be regulated and taxed like alcohol. 'Music to the ears' has become 'dollars in the bank'."

Comments

Re:Totally, irrevocably, utterly batshit insane

[furby076]

(I have no moral objection to such activities as they provably cause no harm, but I don't want to get sued either)

I take it you have no moral objection to stealing CDs from a store because it probably causes them no harm? Hell leave them a $1 and take the CD...as we know CDs and CD cases cost less then $1 - so you are being more then fair.

but I also decided that they don't need any of my money anymore (I was buying between 2 and 5 CDs EACH WEEK from RIAA musicians before, go figure),

I hear this a lot, and while I am sure someone, out there, buys 104 to 260 cds per year, I feel confident on calling you out on this.

Not only have I been able to avoid giving money to these Nazis,

Nazi's? It's people like you who diminish what happend during the holocaust and WWII

I have discovered that the music being put out by indie labels is infinitely better!

Ah-hah - now we get it. Indie music is better because it is sometimes free? So free makes music sound better. Maybe you are onto something. Let those artists starve.

You get music that is created by artists who care about their music, rather than their profit margins.

Nice of you to make blanket statements about all artists. Because someone can't possibly enjoy making good music and making a profit. Better that they spend their time doing it for free - because as we know, free music sounds better then paid music.

Dry their profit margins up and make it clear that they have no one to blame but themselves. That is the only way to stop this insanity.

What happend in the article, in the thread you are commenting on, has nothing to do with your rant. Now run along and go download the latest Mily CD - you know want to put your hands up in the air like yea.