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Sir Paul calls for music copyright to be longer
By Amar Singh 07.12.06
Sir Paul McCartney has added his name to the eclectic group of signatories demanding 'fair play for musicians'
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Sir Paul McCartney is among more than 4,000 musicians who have taken out a full-page newspaper advert expressing their discontent with the law over copyright.
The eclectic group of signatories demanding "fair play for musicians" also includes Sir Cliff Richard, The Who, Dire Straits and U2.
The artists, from more than 3,500 record companies, are calling for an extension of copyright on sound recordings from 50 years to 95 years.
Their petition follows the publication of the Government-commissioned Gowers Report, which recommended the protection should not be extended.
The British Phonographic Industry is campaigning for Britain to be brought into line with the US, which has a 95-year limit.
A song's composer is entitled to the exclusive rights to their music and appropriate royalty payments for life and a further 70 years after their death. But a song's performer in the UK will cease receiving royalty cheques 50 years after the song comes out.
Singers who have enjoyed success with just one or two songs such as Chesney Hawkes and Timmy Mallett have also lent their name to the campaign.
Sir Cliff will soon cease to receive royalty payments on his earliest hits and has been the most outspoken campaigner, arguing that singers are as crucial to the success of a piece of music as its composers.
He said recently: "We are as important to a song as the writer is because we give it life."
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Reader views (2)
Sir Paul appears to feel that he isn't quite rich enough but I feel that 50 years is long enough to squeeze money out of a song. I'm 51, I have a music collection that spans 75 years. I have gotten a lot of enjoyment out of it but I think I made him and a lot of other artists rich enough. Thank you.
- Jim Asbury, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
This is nothing but an excuse for people who already have too much money to work even less. Why should ANYONE get paid for work they did over 50 years ago? The rest of us have to work till old age and plan properly with pensions and so on - are you honestly telling me that these people are such intelectual failures that they haven't planned ahead? Sign the petition!
- Paul, Middlesbrough, England
