Rock For The Troops Seeks More Bands

Hawk · Post by **Hawk** » Wednesday Mar 07, 2007

All that we need from you is to allow us to video your show at your venue. We will also video your audience members. And take up a collection to off set production / licensing costs and buy phone cards for the troops.

We will edit the video to DVDs and Cds to send to the troops.

ALL VIDEO will be given back to the band to do with whatever you like .

Help us give them something from home.

Thanks so much,
Bill

Trucula · Post by **Trucula** » Wednesday Mar 07, 2007

We're still game!

Asundor · Post by **Asundor** » Wednesday Mar 07, 2007

We would love to do that for them.

drums=life · Post by **drums=life** » Wednesday Mar 07, 2007

FedUP is down, but we dont have anything scheduled until June, unless you want to visit us at rehearsal? Keep us posted

Flight 19 · Post by **Flight 19** » Wednesday Mar 07, 2007

sent PM

Hawk · Post by **Hawk** » Wednesday Mar 07, 2007

Thank you,

I have to go to work soon. I'll contact all of you this afternoon or evening.

Bill

mjb · Post by **mjb** » Wednesday Mar 07, 2007

thanks everyone, bill will get ahold of you and we'll make it happen.

Brian of the Clan Plush · Wednesday Mar 07, 2007

we're looking into the ASCAP/BMI issue with the venues we play. We're interested if we can get past that potential barrier.

skipisode · Post by **skipisode** » Wednesday Mar 07, 2007

Anyone who knows information on the whole ASCAP/BMI implications in
doing this? Please post some input! As usual, there is always some issue
that impacts on trying to do a good thing! Bastards! You'd think since it is non-profit type of project there'd be no problem, but be wary of this! I hope this can get off the ground and work to benefit all! It is for a good cause.

Brian of the Clan Plush · Wednesday Mar 07, 2007

my understanding from previous RFTT posts/threads was that if you play covers, the videotaping can only be done at a venue that is current on ASCAP/BMI dues.

MeYatch · Post by **MeYatch** » Wednesday Mar 07, 2007

Brian of the Clan Plush wrote:my understanding from previous RFTT posts/threads was that if you play covers, the videotaping can only be done at a venue that is current on ASCAP/BMI dues.

no, you can't play a cover song for any reason at a venue that isn't current on its licensing fees.

how many bands are in this? unless you are trying to make a 8 hour movie I can't imagine putting too many songs from one band on it. Play original material. If you don't have original material, write original material. If you can't write original material, play a public domain song.

johnliebal · Post by **johnliebal** » Wednesday Mar 07, 2007

DUA would love to be a part of this...would have said something sooner but i really never read alot into this...i would appreciate if some1 could send me soem details on what is exactly going on...but we would be more than happy to do whatever we can

skipisode · Post by **skipisode** » Wednesday Mar 07, 2007

We (FL19) play both covers and originals throughout every show we play.
BMI/ASCAP can't control the originals we do (they have no rights to these), but my concern/question is about covers during the RFTT tapings.
Are there any problems that are going to rise for this project (RFTT) in taping and recording bands doing covers at shows? I am talking strictly from a legal standpoint. Looking for input on this.

MeYatch · Post by **MeYatch** » Wednesday Mar 07, 2007

as long as you don't distribute recordings of cover material I don't see how anyone could possibly have a problem with it. I don't know wether you are actually allowed to tape a show of cover material or not, but as long as you don't distribute it, no one will ever know.

skipisode · Post by **skipisode** » Wednesday Mar 07, 2007

I thought the idea was to "distribute" these to the troops. If this is mailed, printed, or forwarded to troops it will most likely be screened prior to them receiving it. People will know. It also is the idea to let these
guys/girls (troops) "know" we support them.

I do believe you can tape/record a show of cover material as long as you get permission from the artist/publisher/etc. My understanding is that you
cannot profit from it in any way. Afterall, what is American Idol? They
do covers on there all the time (and the songs are screened prior to taping). You can rest assure that somebody is getting paid for the use of the songs (i.e. ASCAP/BMI, etc).

I love the idea of RFTT and will support it, but is there a concern for all of us from a legal standpoint? Just looking for good advice.

MeYatch · Post by **MeYatch** » Wednesday Mar 07, 2007

is the intention really to send a video of like 8 hours of unedited footage?

I assumed that the DVD would feature a lot of interviews and a few songs per band.

MeYatch · Post by **MeYatch** » Wednesday Mar 07, 2007

what I mean is you can record the show, and cut out all the copyrighted material.

skipisode · Post by **skipisode** » Wednesday Mar 07, 2007

These are the types of things I want to learn about the RFTT project.
I'll likely talk with Bill to dx. I haven't really had the chance to look into
it yet.

Hawk · Post by **Hawk** » Wednesday Mar 07, 2007

Hi

Everything has been researched and is legal.

All original songs will be put to DVD along with band and audience well wishers. WE (Rock For The Troops) will also take up a collection to cover licensing costs to put covers onto Cds along with some other things including band and audience interviews.

So you can do all the covers you want, we will pay properer fees (called a mechanical license). We will have multiple DVDs and Cds. The amount we can distribute will depend on the amount we collect.

As long as the venue pays it's fees to BMI / ASCAP you are allowed to play and record cover videos. Any venue that has a juke box or cover bands is required by law to pay licensing fees. It is not up to bands to pay any fee for cover songs unless they intend to distribute them. WE will pay those fees with the collections we take.

Covers would cost thousands of $$$$ to put on DVDs with the fees involved. Please don't get upset about this. I understand the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan greatly appreciate ANYTHING from home ! And we are doing what it takes to protect you.

So this is totally bi-partisan and non political.

By doing things this way, EVERYONE is protected. Not a big deal. We've got you covered.

And in the end, each band gets it's own video back. You can do with it as you wish.

It is WIN WIN WIN for everyone. Especially the troops serving in harms way for us.

I BEG YOU ........Please don't turn this thread into a "cover vs. original bands. This is for the TROOPS !

If you have any more questions, feel free to PM me.

Thank you everyone,
Bill

Hawk · Post by **Hawk** » Wednesday Mar 07, 2007

Any and all genre is encouraged. I'm sure the troops are as diverse as we are.

johnliebal · Post by **johnliebal** » Wednesday Mar 07, 2007

not sure exactly what the arguement is about the covers...but im almost 100% possitive you can record and perfrom covers...or other peoples material however u want, and do wahtever you want with it as long as you are not making money off of it

MeYatch · Post by **MeYatch** » Wednesday Mar 07, 2007

wrong.

the only reason I can think of is you are devaluing the original copyright. If I was so inclined I could go out, find a decent sound-a-like and record whole band's albums if I wanted. I could put it up on youtube, or peer to peer file sharing programs. It would cost me next to nothing. I wouldn't make a dime. But it still hurts the artists.

johnliebal · Post by **johnliebal** » Wednesday Mar 07, 2007

your probably right...but if thats illegal no1s gettin caught

ToonaRockGuy · Post by **ToonaRockGuy** » Thursday Mar 08, 2007

Please, John, we've already been over this in other threads. Stop.

Originals will be on the DVDs, covers will be on the CDs. PERIOD. We are going to have all bands on the DVD, however, with face time. We talked about doing some editing of the interviews, and splicing in silent footage of some of the cover bands over the interview vocals. Kind of like how ESPN's Sportscenter does some of their interviews.

Bottom line is that we are protecting everyone involved by creating the Multi-Media package this way. So please, stop arguing about it. It's already been decided.

As far as what we are sending: NO, we are not sending 8 hours of unedited footage. That would never make it past the censors. We will do post-production and editing, we would love to have 3-4 songs per band on the DVD or CD. If we raise more $$$, we can make larger packages, or more of them.

The beauty of this whole thing is, that it's open-ended. We can send off the "Rock For The Troops Concert Series...Vol. 1" and continue to film shows for future DVDs.

So please, as Hawk said, don't question how we're doing it here. If you have a question, PM us, or email rockforthetroops@yahoo.com and we'll get back to you.

Thanks.

MeYatch · Post by **MeYatch** » Thursday Mar 08, 2007

the RFTT project is definately going about this the right way. There's always the possibility this could become someone's soft news story of the week, and receive national attention. You can surely bet that if it ever got out that you were distributing copyrighted material without a license, you could be on the recieving end of a lawsuit super quick.