Bill Leader/Dave Bulmer

Subject: RE: Bill Leader/Dave Bulmer
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Nov 12 - 04:55 AM

"Fine, matt, but don't forget that many of us who have posted ad nauseam about this down the years wish to abide by the principle that Nic and all the others should get proper recompense for any of their stuff that goes out there."

Yeah, which is why I'd be perfectly happy to see one of those album filesharing blogs (Time Has Told Me et al) hosting those albums, only with a Paypal address below.

In this day and age "proper" recompense for recordings - especially niche folk recordings - isn't exactly going to be megabucks. A "pay what you can" to a Paypal address via a music blog strikes me as the ideal illegal but morally correct way to get round the Bulmer situation.

If I were ever in the position that an album I'd made (which I thought was actually really good) was being sat on and left to rot by an evil record label, I would just put it on Bandcamp, charge for it, and see them in court.

Some friends of mine who were in a hip-hop act in the 1990s noticed that copies of an out-of-print album of theirs (on a now-defunct record label) were going for a lot of money on eBay. So they bootlegged their own album - did a re-press.

Of course, you'd have to stick to your guns, cos I imagine Dave Bulmer is enough of a c**t to try to sue you if you did it. Which is why, in this instance, the illegal and fugitive nature of filesharing could actually work in musicians' favour in this one instance.

Has anyone ever, by the way, emailed Nic Jones or any of the other artists, and asked if they'd burn them a CDR (for cash)?

I'd really like to hear, for instance, the "John & Sandra" album, which I know is on Argo and a whole different kettle of unreleased fish, was thinking about emailing Sandra Kerr and asking if she'd make me a copy...

Subject: RE: Bill Leader/Dave Bulmer
From: Bugsy
Date: 15 Nov 12 - 12:33 AM

Whilst I understand and agree with your sentiments Steve, if you want a better version than you have, what's wrong with downloading the online version and sending a couple of bucks to Nick?

Cheers

Cheers

Bugsy

Subject: RE: Bill Leader/Dave Bulmer
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 14 Nov 12 - 07:12 PM

Fine, matt, but don't forget that many of us who have posted ad nauseam about this down the years wish to abide by the principle that Nic and all the others should get proper recompense for any of their stuff that goes out there.

I have a shitty cassette version (it's the cassette that's shitty), about 20 years old, copied from another cassette, that was made from a knackered old vinyl copy, even older, of The Noah's Ark Trap. The recording quality is so awful yet the sublime music shines through. I want a nice version of that album sometime before I die. I wouldn't mind betting that I could find something ten times better online than what I have now within five minutes. I haven't looked and I'm not going to.

Subject: RE: Bill Leader/Dave Bulmer
From: GUEST,matt milton
Date: 14 Nov 12 - 06:02 PM

"Let's accept that Mr Bulmer is acting entirely lawfully. He owns the assets, it's up to him what he does with them. As I understand it, he cannot yet be required to return the rights to the original artists if he doesn't want to make use of them himself.

Let us also accept that under the terms of the original contracts the original artists will receive no royalties if the albums are released. It may have been naive of them, but they signed the contracts and must live with the consequences.

The question no one seems to be able to get an answer to is, why?"

The impression I got (from that Bright Phoebus documentary) is simply financial (and petty). He believes he can't make any money out of them but isn't prepared to release them to anybody else. Perhaps because a part of him can't bear the thought that somebody else could do something - anything - with something he regards as his and his alone. I'd say that's probably it.

I think musicians should just publish and be damned though. In the case of Bulmer-owned releases, I think people should just file-share them like crazy.

Subject: RE: Bill Leader/Dave Bulmer
From: GUEST,Mary
Date: 14 Nov 12 - 04:39 PM

Just chanced on this thread today. I thought you might like to know that Rab Noakes (http://www.go2neon.com/rab-noakes.htm) made a series of programmes about Bill Leader about 15 years ago. I think it was called "Leader's Tapes". Rab might still have a copy.

Subject: RE: Bill Leader/Dave Bulmer
From: Howard Jones
Date: 12 Oct 12 - 05:26 PM

I'd submit that the suggestion of making them downloadable MP3s would result in considerably lower sound quality
than is provided in CD-Rs.

Perhaps, but sites like Bandcamp offer alternative high-quality formats. Besides, the objection to CD-Rs is their longevity rather than recording quality.

Subject: RE: Bill Leader/Dave Bulmer
From: GUEST,sturgeon
Date: 12 Oct 12 - 02:02 PM

Pavane wrote 'It would be really difficult to find a single album of "traditional" music where all songs/tunes are public domain.'

Not true, the majority of albums of sean-nós singing are exactly that.

Subject: RE: Bill Leader/Dave Bulmer
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 12 Oct 12 - 01:56 PM

Bulmer has no right to the songs themselves--only to the specific recordings. And I'd submit that the suggestion of making them downloadable MP3s would result in considerably lower sound quality
than is provided in CD-Rs.

Subject: RE: Bill Leader/Dave Bulmer
From: GUEST,raymond greenoaken
Date: 12 Oct 12 - 09:08 AM

"more than twenty years ago", even...

Subject: RE: Bill Leader/Dave Bulmer
From: GUEST,raymond greenoaken
Date: 12 Oct 12 - 09:06 AM

A dusty memory: more than twenty years a then-employee of Bulmer's smuggled me into CM HQ for a sniff around. Seeing the stockroom was an eye-opener. Not only did CM have the Leader/Trailer/Dambuster/Highway etc catalogues, they also had a whole load of stuff that would later come to be called World Music - I was particularly struck by a six-disc box set entitled The Griots. Pretty rare stock, I would imagine — and presumably it's all still sitting there in Fortress Harrogate, where the sun never shines.

At the time they were reprinting various items from the Leader catalogue on cassette — Seamus Ennis for example. One would hardly expect Seamus to be a mega-seller, but there it is: they really did seem to have a plan for reissuing important but not necessarily commercial stuff. And nowadays CD-Roms are cheaper than blank cassettes were then. At what point did Satan enter the body of Dave Bulmer and consign all his good intentions to the dustbin of history? And why would any sane man want to attract the rage and contempt of virtually the entire folk scene? What is the capital of Upper Volta? etc etc etc...

Subject: RE: Bill Leader/Dave Bulmer
From: G-Force
Date: 12 Oct 12 - 08:56 AM

There should simply be a "use it or lose it" law where ownership of recordings is concerned. If a label hasn't made something commercially available (and the law would have to be phrased to avoid getting around it by putting out a few dozen shoddy CDRs) for a long period of time and the recording has passed a certain age, the rights should revert to the artist. Let's say it's 25 years old and hasn't been available for 10, or something like that.

A bit like patent law. You may have a patent for your invention, but if you don't exploit your invention, your patent can be got round.

Subject: RE: Bill Leader/Dave Bulmer
From: GUEST,Jenny.
Date: 12 Oct 12 - 07:55 AM

Many of the songs to which Bulmer owns copywright have been recorded on other labels, and by other artists, royalties on these songs are still paid to Bulmer, neither PRS or MCPS will give any information to a songwriter who requests information on this matter without a legal request.

Subject: RE: Bill Leader/Dave Bulmer
From: Doug Chadwick
Date: 12 Oct 12 - 05:45 AM

…… And they wouldn't have Bill Leader presiding over the recording. To these ears, 70s albums on Trailer sound nothing like modern folk albums. I own quite a few Trailer releases on vinyl and there's something quite special and magical about these releases that to me has generally been lost on most modern folk albums. There's a rawness and directness and lack or artifice that would be hard to replicate.

Yes, I take your point.

DC

Subject: RE: Bill Leader/Dave Bulmer
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Oct 12 - 05:20 AM

Is there anything to stop an artist, whose work is held by Celtic Music, recording some or all of the songs again, perhaps with a slightly different arrangement, and have them issued through a different company?

The performing deterioration of the 35-40 years since they were first recorded? Having had, oh I don't know, something like a terrible car crash or having died of cancer. The fact that what people want is the original recordings?

There should simply be a "use it or lose it" law where ownership of recordings is concerned. If a label hasn't made something commercially available (and the law would have to be phrased to avoid getting around it by putting out a few dozen shoddy CDRs) for a long period of time and the recording has passed a certain age, the rights should revert to the artist. Let's say it's 25 years old and hasn't been available for 10, or something like that.

I was reading recently that the Transatlantic and B&C catalogues are now owned by Universal after having been aquired from Castle who went bust. Similar story. The difference is that Universal will license them for re-release but only if totally unrealistic arms and legs are paid. So whilst re-issues of Pentangle or early Steeleye might be viable, you won't be seeing anything like The Young Tradition along any time soon either.

Subject: RE: Bill Leader/Dave Bulmer
From: Spleen Cringe
Date: 12 Oct 12 - 05:18 AM

>Is there anything to stop an artist, whose work is held by Celtic Music, recording some or all of the songs again, perhaps with a slightly different arrangement, and have them issued through a different company?<

These would of course be totally different albums. The artists are older and not all of the are still performing, or indeed still with us. And they wouldn't have Bill Leader presiding over the recording. To these ears, 70s albums on Trailer sound nothing like modern folk albums. I own quite a few Trailer releases on vinyl and there's something quite special and magical about these releases that to me has generally been lost on most modern folk albums. There's a rawness and directness and lack or artifice that would be hard to replicate.

I just wish more current folk albums sounded like Trailer releases, really...

Also call me a purist, but (for example) there's an ocean of diffrence between Mike & Lal Waterson's Bright Phoebus and the tribute album that came out a few years back. Not a value judgement, but the two things aren't the same.

Subject: RE: Bill Leader/Dave Bulmer
From: Doug Chadwick
Date: 12 Oct 12 - 05:11 AM

I've just re-read what I have written and it seems to imply something that I didn't intend, So, before someone gives me a verbal beating up, please let me say ………. I am not suggesting that all, or even most of the music being withheld is worthless. Obviously, someone thought it was good enough to record in the first place.

I am also aware some of the music cannot be re-recorded at this late stage as groups may have broken up, the performers' circumstances may have changed or some may no longer be alive. But for those that can ……… ?


DC

Subject: RE: Bill Leader/Dave Bulmer
From: Doug Chadwick
Date: 12 Oct 12 - 04:54 AM

The expense, perhaps?

If the music being sat upon by CM is any good, then maybe the payback would be worth the expense.
If it's not worth the expense then perhaps that is why CM is not doing anything with it.


DC

Subject: RE: Bill Leader/Dave Bulmer
From: GUEST,raymond greenoaken
Date: 12 Oct 12 - 04:40 AM

>Is there anything to stop an artist, whose work is held by Celtic Music, recording some or all of the songs again, perhaps with a slightly different arrangement, and have them issued through a different company?<

The expense, perhaps?

Subject: RE: Bill Leader/Dave Bulmer
From: Bugsy
Date: 11 Oct 12 - 07:54 PM

"Is there anything to stop an artist, whose work is held by Celtic Music, recording some or all of the songs again, perhaps with a slightly different arrangement, and have them issued through a different company?"

You mean, Like Bob Fox and Stu Luckley did?

Cheers

Bugsy

Subject: RE: Bill Leader/Dave Bulmer
From: Doug Chadwick
Date: 11 Oct 12 - 07:09 PM

Is there anything to stop an artist, whose work is held by Celtic Music, recording some or all of the songs again, perhaps with a slightly different arrangement, and have them issued through a different company?

DC

Subject: RE: Bill Leader/Dave Bulmer
From: Spleen Cringe
Date: 11 Oct 12 - 06:23 PM

Actually there are plenty of manufacturers out there who will press you up a couple of hundred Cdrs no questions asked. There again, there are places you can get glass mastered CDs pressed up no questions asked. Not that I'm advocating this, of course!

Subject: RE: Bill Leader/Dave Bulmer
From: pavane
Date: 11 Oct 12 - 05:59 PM

So perhaps if we all decided on one album, and went out and bought it in the same week, we could embarrass DB by getting it into the charts?

On the other hand, he wouldn't care because he would make money out of it.

Subject: RE: Bill Leader/Dave Bulmer
From: pavane
Date: 11 Oct 12 - 05:57 PM

You can pay MCPS based on as few as 250 copies

Subject: RE: Bill Leader/Dave Bulmer
From: pavane
Date: 11 Oct 12 - 05:55 PM

And don't forget, royalties are payable to the copyright owners of the lyrics/songs/tunes as well as the performers.

This is a REAL minefield, especially bearing in mind the well-known story of the people who went around claiming copyright of existing traditional songs. One famous example is Wild Mountain Thyme, which is clearly based on Robert Tannahill's Braes o' Balquidder from the 1790's - see below. There is nothing to stop anyone doing that even now.

It would be really difficult to find a single album of "traditional" music where all songs/tunes are public domain. So we can assume that royalties are being avoided if none are paid.

From Braes o' Balquidder:
I will twine thee a bower
By the clear siller fountain,
An' I'll cover it o'er
Wi' the flowers o' the mountain;

Will ye go, lassie, go,
To the braes o' Balquhidder?
Where the blaeberries grow,
'Mang the bonnie bloomin' heather;

Subject: RE: Bill Leader/Dave Bulmer
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 11 Oct 12 - 05:50 PM

Spot on, pavane.

Subject: RE: Bill Leader/Dave Bulmer
From: GUEST,guest
Date: 11 Oct 12 - 05:49 PM

not really, you can chart for less than a thousand sales nowadays

Subject: RE: Bill Leader/Dave Bulmer
From: pavane
Date: 11 Oct 12 - 05:42 PM

The points about MCPS and CD-R have all been made in previous threads too. You can pay MCPS for a licence for a small number, and put MCPS log on the disk, but then who is to say how many you actually made, if you are doing it yourself.

I don't suppose anyone fom MCPS is going around counting them, even if they could. (Might be a problem if one of them got into the charts, though!)

Subject: RE: Bill Leader/Dave Bulmer
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Oct 12 - 03:55 PM

CDRs are not exempt from MCPS royalties if you're bulk producing them for sale. However you can produce them yourself and get away without declaring them to the MCPS because legit pressing facilities require you to show your MCPS licence. As I understand it, Bulmer owns his own pressing facility. Follow your own logic.

His print & repackaging - booklets and inlays - are cheapskate too.

Subject: RE: Bill Leader/Dave Bulmer
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 11 Oct 12 - 03:17 PM

I can assure y'all that you have to pay yer dues to composers whether you make a proper CD or a CD-R. Personal experience!

Subject: RE: Bill Leader/Dave Bulmer
From: GUEST,guest
Date: 11 Oct 12 - 03:17 PM

I was signed to Bulmer once. We got around his shenanigans by instead of buying our records off him to sell at gigs, we sneaked in the back door of the warehouse and stole boxes of them. It worked out fine. I'm not sure he ever knew, I don't think stock taking was his thing.

Subject: RE: Bill Leader/Dave Bulmer
From: GUEST,Don Wise
Date: 11 Oct 12 - 02:32 PM

If it's not clear on the packaging that it's a CD-R rather than a CD could this be an infringement of the Trades Descriptions Act?

Subject: RE: Bill Leader/Dave Bulmer
From: Howard Jones
Date: 11 Oct 12 - 01:49 PM

Is that correct about MCPS? I don't see why the media should make a difference. There are different rates for music on DVDs, downloads etc but if copyright music is used then royalties are payable.

The MCPS AP2 application doesn't distinguish CD from CD-R, and manufacturers say they require a MCPS certificate for all audio products, whether CD-Rs or 'proper' CDs. There is a Limited Manufacture Licence for less than 1000 units, but this applies whether its on CD, LP or cassette.

So far as I am aware the only exemptions from royalties are where you are recording your own material, or the material isn't controlled by MCPS (in which case you have to agree terms direct with the rights holder).

I'm happy to proved wrong on this.

Bulmer doesn't need to go through these hoops to avoid royalties due to the terms of the original contracts signed by the artists (which in fairness were not entered into with him, he has just acquired the rights)

Subject: RE: Bill Leader/Dave Bulmer
From: GUEST,Jenny.
Date: 11 Oct 12 - 09:44 AM

Avoiding paying royalties is what it's all about, what do you think Bulmer lives on.

Subject: RE: Bill Leader/Dave Bulmer
From: Spleen Cringe
Date: 11 Oct 12 - 09:17 AM

Jim - succinct, to the point and spot on!

Subject: RE: Bill Leader/Dave Bulmer
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Oct 12 - 09:14 AM

Thanks for the heads up on MCPS Jim, an interesting point given the large number of CD-R products that I've seen this year!

Subject: RE: Bill Leader/Dave Bulmer
From: GUEST,Jim Moray
Date: 11 Oct 12 - 09:08 AM

A small point before I sink into the ether again...

I don't think the use of CDRs rather than glass mastered CDs on CM product is about cost, I think it's because CDRs are exempt from needing an MCPS licence. In other words it's a further attempt to avoid mechanical royalties.

Subject: RE: Bill Leader/Dave Bulmer
From: Spleen Cringe
Date: 11 Oct 12 - 07:39 AM

There is a tendency to vastly overtate the amount of money involved in folk CDs.

True.

First of all, royallties typically are about 15%.

That's the industry model. Over the past 30 odd years, in the UK at least, plenty of small labels have used the 50/50 profit share approach pioneered by the likes of Rough Trade. The label recoups its investment and splits the profits with the artists. This usually doesn't amount to much money, though...

Secondly sales of folk CDs, with very few exceptions, alre almost exclusively limited to sales made by performers at places where they're performing.

Nearly all the albums my label has released have been sold online or via record shops. A minority of sales have been at gigs. I accept that maay not be typical, but it's true.

Searching for a CD doesn't necessarily involve searching through each publisher's catalog---that's what retailers (including CAMSCO) are for.

A quick scout of the internet reveals that very few retailers stock CM product.

And, regarding durability of CD-Rs, I can only speak for my own business, but CD-Rs carry the same warranty a pressed CDs.

There's not really any excuse to use CDrs when glass mastered CDs are available in runs of as little as 100. And not only should CDrs be clearly identified as such, it shouldn't be left to responsible retailers to do this but should be the job of the record label.

Lastly, at least one major folk CD publisher in the UK (as well as 2 major folk publishers in the US) produce CD-Rs.

That's fine as long as they are not trying to pass them off as glass mastered CDs. I've seen CM reissues and there is no indication anywhere on the disc or packaging that these are CDrs. This omission is dishonest.

It's the only feasible way to supply a small (and diminishing) market.

No it's not. The manufacturer I use does runs of glass mastered CDs starting at 100 copies. You can even get a run of vinyl albums from 100 copies. Making material available via a download retailer such as Bandcamp has never been easier. The expense - apart from your time - is in getting the masters (or the vinyl) professionally digitised. There are services that do this that charge a low enough fee to make even a potentially low selling reissue potentially viable over time.

Complaining tht they're not "proper CDs is like complaining thet CDs aren't "proper" LPs

No it's not. A CDr is not a glass mastered CD. I've absolutely no problem with people selling them, and have bought loads myself over the years, but they need to be above board about it. It helps the customer make an informed choice about what they spend their money on.

And unlike a CD, I always make a digital back up of any CDr I buy because I've had too many crap out on me.

Subject: RE: Bill Leader/Dave Bulmer
From: Howard Jones
Date: 11 Oct 12 - 03:14 AM

Let's accept that Mr Bulmer is acting entirely lawfully. He owns the assets, it's up to him what he does with them. As I understand it, he cannot yet be required to return the rights to the original artists if he doesn't want to make use of them himself.

Let us also accept that under the terms of the original contracts the original artists will receive no royalties if the albums are released. It may have been naive of them, but they signed the contracts and must live with the consequences.

However:

1) When one of a record label's principal artists suffers a life-changing accident and loses his livelihood, one would expect that most record labels would look beyond the small print of the contract and try to help. Especially if they have no intention of releasing his albums themselves.

Nic Jones is perhaps an extreme example, but we've heard from other artists who would be glad of the chance to sell some of the old recordings. And it's not just about money - a recording represents a huge commitment of time and emotional effort, and artists want to see those albums available and to be able to sell them at gigs or through their websites. So why won't Bulmer deal with them to allow this to happen?

2) Bill Leader's recordings represented some of the most important developments in folk music of their time, as well as a lot of significant source recordings. Whilst those recordings are not "lost", in the sense that there must be many original copies out there, it is a matter of regret that they are not more widely available. If it is not worth releasing them as CDs, it is very cheap to put them online.

3) Bulmer's attitude makes no commercial sense to anyone. With a few exceptions, he won't exploit them himself, and he won't make them available to others. That's a lose-lose all round.

4) In doing so, he has completely trashed his own reputation on the folk scene.

The question no one seems to be able to get an answer to is, why?

Subject: RE: Bill Leader/Dave Bulmer
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 10 Oct 12 - 09:08 PM

If you have a vested commercial interest in selling CDr products
then they are bloody marvellous !!!

But for the rest of us,
we are all too aware of CDr limitations as a reliable long term, or even medium term, storage media.


Though surely 'debate' about the 'merits' of CDr is just a distraction from the main topic
of this thread.....???

Sadly, stubborn bitter petty spiteful wrangling about disputed ownership rights
is all too common a factor
preventing release of cherished 'vintage' recorded music & movies.
Often persisting for far too long after the artists are deceased
and master tapes & negatives have perished from neglect & poor storage conditions,
or mean spirited wilful destruction.

Subject: RE: Bill Leader/Dave Bulmer
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 10 Oct 12 - 08:51 PM

And how many copies of Unearthed have sold altogether? I have it and I know of at least one other bloke who has it. I live in the middle of nowhere yet I already know a third as many people who have it as the 300 million in the US who you've failed to sell it to.

Subject: RE: Bill Leader/Dave Bulmer
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 10 Oct 12 - 08:24 PM

Steve. You're wrong, I make no case for Bulmer's ethics or morality, but hi is releasing some of the albums, if not in the form that suits you.And I've encountered nothing about CD-Rs that limits them to temporary storage. The low cost of producing CD-Rs is what makes it possible to satisfy what is actually a tiny market. I have no Idea how well Noah's Ark Trap would sell (I'd buy it), but I do know that, in the US, at least, I've sold a half-dozen copies of Unearthed since it's been released.

Subject: RE: Bill Leader/Dave Bulmer
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 10 Oct 12 - 07:04 PM

Whaddya mean, "strikes many"? It bloody well is morally wrong.

Subject: RE: Bill Leader/Dave Bulmer
From: Howard Jones
Date: 10 Oct 12 - 06:55 PM

The question of royalties is a red herring. As has been pointed out, under the terms of the contracts the artists wouldn't be entitled to royalties even if the albums were released. However, not only is Bulmer not releasing the albums himself, he appears to be unwilling to negotiate with artists who would like the opportunity to re-release their own material. For some of these, this would be a small but important contribution to their income. If he doesn't want to exploit his assets himself, his refusal to allow them to benefit from their own work strikes many as morally wrong.

Subject: RE: Bill Leader/Dave Bulmer
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 10 Oct 12 - 06:46 PM

CD-Rs are for temporary storage only. You can run off a hundred for about ten quid from a batch of blanks you bought at Asda. And stick 'em in covers you bought for a quid for 70 in the Pound Shop. Pretending you're rereleasing an album by releasing it on CD-R is taking the piss. As for royalties, Dick, I don't give a monkey's bloody mickey whether the artist gets 15p or 15 grand as long as the principle of recompensing the artist is honoured. Principle, Dick.

And come on, make a case that Noah's Ark Trap would not be commercially viable. Ferchrissake!

Subject: RE: Bill Leader/Dave Bulmer
From: GUEST,CJ
Date: 10 Oct 12 - 05:56 PM

CDrs are not as long lasting as CDs. When you buy a CDr from C# House they recommend you make a copy onto your hard drive sooner rather than later.

Subject: RE: Bill Leader/Dave Bulmer
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 10 Oct 12 - 04:17 PM

Sadly, most contracts written in the 60s and 70s relinquished all such control, Permanently.

Subject: RE: Bill Leader/Dave Bulmer
From: Good Soldier Schweik
Date: 10 Oct 12 - 03:35 PM

it is not just about royalties it is about having control over material THAT INVOLVED LOTS OF BLOOD SWEAT AND TEARS,
I would definitely benefit from having the Mexborough recordings issued plus Cheating the Tide with Martin Carthy, even if it was ONLY from the point of publicity.

Subject: RE: Bill Leader/Dave Bulmer
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 10 Oct 12 - 03:26 PM

There is a tendency to vastly overtate the amount of money involved in folk CDs. First of all, royallties typically are about 15%. Secondly sales of folk CDs, with very few exceptions, alre almost exclusively limited to sales made by performers at places where they're performing.
    Searching for a CD doesn't necessarily involve searching through each publisher's catalog---that's what retailers (including CAMSCO) are for.
    And, regarding durability of CD-Rs, I can only speak for my own business, but CD-Rs carry the same warranty a pressed CDs.
    Lastly, at least one major folk CD publisher in the UK (as well as 2 major folk publishers in the US) produce CD-Rs. It's the only feasible way to supply a small (and diminishing) market.Complaining tht they're not "proper CDs is like complaining thet CDs aren't "proper" LPs.

Subject: RE: Bill Leader/Dave Bulmer
From: Howard Jones
Date: 10 Oct 12 - 03:07 PM

He does not have to relinquish rights, he could negotiate deals with the artists which would benefit both parties.

Subject: RE: Bill Leader/Dave Bulmer
From: GUEST,Henry Farley.
Date: 10 Oct 12 - 07:47 AM

Bulmer and Sharpley not only own large numbers of recordings but through Celtic Music they are also publishers which means that every time a track from their vast catalogue is broadcast, and many still are they receive royalties, a percentage, usually 50% is paid to the artist, this is not done. Were Bulmer to relinquish rights to these recordings this income would be lost. Neil Sharpley is clever enough to know that the artists in question do not have the money to challenge them through the courts.