Karaoke Forums

Not yet Chris, if it does I think it will change your tune. As long as your ox is not gored you could care less. It won't effect me either, but I still know and have friends in the business.

I have a Plan B and a Plan C in the event that karaoke goes belly up.

However, I don't think there is anyone but you that believes it could happen. At least the way you suggest.

There is no evidence at all that PEP's actions are going to have a widespread negative impact on karaoke. It's irresponsible fearmongering on your part to suggest otherwise.

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-Chris

I may be wrong--I haven't checked--but I'm about 95% sure we don't have anybody in your neck of the woods at the moment. I do frequently hear of people claiming that our investigators were seen in areas where we weren't investigating at the time, which I find hilarious.

Nope. "Alphabet soups" do not sue for copyright infringement - they sue for performance rights on behalf of the copyright owners and when they do sue, they do not lose.

You cannot (although you appear to be trying to) equate a former karaoke trademark holder to that of a performance society.

The only scorching that seems to be happening are the failed legal strategies....

Chris the fear factor is being injected into the conversation by PEP themselves. They are the one's who select the target. I didn't say karaoke would go belly up. What I said is that PEP's actions could result in legit as well as pirate hosts losing possible venues to play in. When Jim comes on this forum and says agents are at work in the Inland Empire checking shows right now, what is he doing? He is trying to stir the pot. If PEP's impact is going to have little or no effect then why don't they just shut up. If they did then they wouldn't get responses to their actions, or lack there of. This legal threat they keep using is a way to hoodwink hosts and venues to pay them, it's a scam.

If you did have agents out in an area Jim why would you warn hosts and venues? That would be a pretty dumb thing to do since your investigators go out to catch suspects in the act. False reports are not hilarious Jim, unless you think working people up is funny. I think it is kind of childish, just like these frivolous law suits of yours. Rather than try to be adults and move on you keep on trying to shake money out of venues and hosts dumb enough to pay you.

We shall just have to wait and see. I am more concerned with Trump's actions having a negative impact on karaoke than i am with PEP.

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-Chris

Having axed the TPP is very good start to helping karaoke. The TPP would have made it possible for IP holders to sue infringers any where in the world. We have enough problems with law suits right now involving not just SC/PEP, but all the Performance Rights, No Fly's, PRS, etc.

In case you were wondering why I say you're pro-pirate, this would be Exhibit A.



We don't warn hosts, because hosts are expected to know and understand the rules based on the warnings we've printed on the discs. (Never saw any discs? Then what makes you think you have the right to play our material at all?)

We do warn venues that hire pirate operators, however, because we believe in giving venues fair notice of their participation in infringement and an opportunity to discontinue it. If they are given warning and don't stop the infringement, then we can hardly be called unreasonable for suing them.

We aren't trying to play "gotcha." We want the infringement to stop. If venues (or hosts, for that matter) do the right thing and choose one of the legal options (stop playing our material, get licensed, use original discs) without forcing us to sue them, then any infringement that occurred in the past is forgiven. Unfortunately, the allure of getting something for nothing is too powerful for most.

Two Circuit Courts have found that there is no infringement taking place when people media shift. The remaining Circuit Courts will more than likely follow suit if a case ever gets that far again. I think that PEP is just trolling for easy settlements from people who are ignorant of the latest court cases that PEP has lost BIGLY!

I really don't expect you to understand this, but that is not what the Rumsey and Wired For Sound holdings established.

In a nutshell, it established that PEP's lawsuits regarding trademark infringement were in fact, not infringement. End of story.

You have been tossing crap at the wall for so many years hoping something will stick... and now you're faced with the fact that you are not only running out of crap, you're running out of walls on which to throw it.

If anyone should be sued for [vicarious] infringement, it should be Pep-tone....

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-Chris

That's OK, Mr. Staley. I don't expect you to understand it, either. Even if you have the mental capacity to read the differences before our more recent lawsuits and the Rumsey and Wired for Sound decisions, your completely unhinged anger at us would prevent your brain from grasping the concept, as a matter of self-preservation.

What a load Jim, if everybody stopped infringement today and just played other labels you would be out of business. That is your legal monkey business, which really isn't a real business after all.

I hope you had to climb Everest to get that Chris, hope didn't get a nose bleed.

There is probably more truth in LR's statement than there is venom. With only a limited supply of GEMS and no more new production what would be left?

Like I really care what you think! No more than you care what I think. A lawyer has to have the emotional hide of a rhino anyway. I'm not pro pirate I'm just not pro PEP so shoot me.

If you don't use PEP products at a venue, then PEP really can't sue the venue over it's copyright usage. PEP has to prove that it's product been played there, if it can't well it's on to the next location.

PEP doesn't speak for all the labels out there, just themselves.

The Answer: Don't use PEP product! Sure, you might have to re-tool your music some, but you can get a lots of alternate product for much less then what the cost of a potential lawsuit is if you're worried about it. I'm not going to lie, it requires the will and work to get it done, and the money to do it, but it CAN be done.

Don't fall into the trap that PEP product is the "best" out there. Plenty of good music to be had by companies that actually produce something (which is where your $upport should be). While its true that PEP had some good deep tracks when they made product some six years ago, most of my gigs might only lose those deep cuts 1 or 2 times a week. Most of my singers are more then happy to do something more mainstream, because they like things like other singers to enjoy the music as well. And yes, lots of active karaoke vendors are catching up

So if your worried about control, then find a way to not be controlled. Don't cower about what PEP may/may not do to your venue, protect it! You will be glad you did when/if PEP comes looking for money from them.

*Edit: Spelling

IF YOU ONLY USE A HANDFUL of PEP products at your shows; just remove the offending logos, change the colors and fonts and use them without the fear of being sued for any sort of infringement law suits. Jimbo said it himself. The technology is available to do exactly that. Only the KJ will know that he is actually playing GEM tracks in disguise. I've seen some of these labeled as Rock Band Karaoke. Never a Sound Choice logo displayed at this KJs show. EVER!!!