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It could have been either BMI or ASCAP, and it is likely that you are correct. This occurred over 20 years ago at least, so I could forgotten a detail like that. Also, it was possible that the place simply did NOT KNOW that they had to pay to just have a guy play some sheet music on a piano, as opposed to playing recorded music in their establishment. And, regardless of whoever it did the "enforcement", it was still a thuggish maneuver. In the case of the restaurant and the piano player, it was like going after a flea with a SLEDGEHAMMER. I would not try to defend these BMI or ASACAP jerks for behavior such as that. Violating copyrights via bootlegging recordings and other nasty behavior is one thing. But, to do what they did to that place and a simple little piano player is simply just excessive. C'mon now. -Rev. Fever PS-As for the RIAA, check out some of their ugly history on wiki. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RIAA On Jul 9, 2007, at 11:43 AM, Travis Hartnett wrote: > Actually that probably wasn't the RIAA, but either BMI or ASCAP. > > The scenario you described is how publishing works in America. It > costs about a thousand dollars a year for an ASCAP or BMI license. > The restaurant was just too cheap to pay twenty bucks a week. > > TravisH > > On 7/9/07, Rev Fever <revfever@ubergadget.com> wrote: > >> The RIAA. What a bunch of thugs and vicious brown shirts. >> >> Years ago, I knew of a restaurant in Dallas TX that had a guy who >> played PIANO in there for the soft and smooth entertainment of the >> diners, >> and he played well known songs from sheet music. Well, one day, the >> RIAA showed up and FINED the restaurant since the place was not >> PAYING the royalties to have that guy play those tunes on the >> piano!! This resulted in the place NO MORE having a piano player >> and the guy LOST his JOB, which very likely was NOT some high wage >> job to begin with, and was supplemented by any tips he managed to >> get. >> So, that poor guy was quickly and suddenly unemployed. Welcome to >> Corporate World. >> >> "Just doin' our job, ma'am". (RIAA, with a Dragnet's Sgt Joe Friday >> voice) >>