Karaoke Forums

A friend of mine just sent this tome...What do you think??

AP


N.Y. bar finds itself in court over karaoke
1 hour, 38 minutes ago

Karaoke night sounded a sour note for a Syracuse bar that is being sued in federal court for using unlicensed songs. "This is unbelievable to me," said Mark Bullis, one of the owners of the Bull & Bear Pub in Syracuse. "It almost feels like extortion. We're being bullied into this, and it's just ridiculous. It's the little guy getting beat up by the big guy," he said.

In a lawsuit filed last month in U.S. District Court, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers claimed that the bar violated copyright laws. ASCAP lawyer Michael Sciotti said the bar had plenty of warnings since it opened in 2002.

"There were 27 contacts before it got to me," he said. "We bend over backward to educate businesses and answer questions and most comply voluntarily. Thousands of businesses do it with no problem."

ASCAP lawyers filed the lawsuit after a private investigator hired by the organization attended a karaoke night at the bar and wrote down the names of songs the singers were performing. Any public performance of copyrighted songs requires the venue to have a license to use the tunes, the lawsuit said.

The investigator said the bar allowed at least five songs to be played that it didn't have a license to use.

Sciotti said the licensing fees would have cost a total of $3,500 for the past five years.

In the lawsuit, ASCAP requested that the pub stop hosting karaoke nights and pay from $750 to $30,000 for each violation.

"It does have to hurt a little bit," Sciotti said. "Otherwise, what's the incentive for bars to comply with copyright laws?"

Bullis said he feels his business was unfairly singled out. He said the pub will not offer karaoke again until this case is resolved. The lawsuit could drive him out of business, he said.

"Of the 60 songs they might sing — and probably poorly — only five were on their list?" Bullis said. "This is a shame."

A hearing is scheduled Oct. 26 before U.S. Magistrate Gustave DiBianco.

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Will sing or fish for food!!I'm not quite right!!

Sharon, this was already done about an hour ago.

Sorry, hun.

I've never been known for being quick.....  Ok we'll gripe about this in the other thread....

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Will sing or fish for food!!I'm not quite right!!

Don't sweat it Sharon, we love you, esp. when your husband isn't around.