Date Posted:18:17:51 07/31/04 Sat Author: andrew Subject: copyright control at universal records
Recently i had the pleasure of working with a band called
(M I A) who asked me to contact Universal records to inquire how they would obtain permission to do a cover version of P F Sloan's Eve of Destruction, so i contacted copyright control at Universal and requested permission,
considering that this song had been covered over 40 times i did not exoect any problems,
the response i recieved from Universal was short and to the point,( sorry your request is denied ) i then qustioned this reply, i contacted Universal copyright control by phone and asked why this requset had been denied the member of staff told me that the copyright to
Eve of Destruction was held by Universal U S A and that
P F Sloan was not willing to have his songs covered by any one,
when i recieved this answer i was puzzled and qustioned this reason, i was then aked by Universal to submit a recording of the new version by ( M I A } and the original version performed by (M I A )this was done at the bands own expence, a CD of the recording was despatched to copyright control for there attention.
considering we first contacted Uinversal on the 11/05/04 we still find our selves no further forward three months on.
the band feel that Universal are stalling, and don't believe P F Sloan would object to there version of
Eve of Destruction.
Elton John recently highlighted the fact that no protest songs about the Iraq war have been released by any of the top record companies in the UK or the U S A
The question that must be asked, is this political manipulation?
I have read most of the sites related to P F Sloan and it is my understanding that he has given more songs away than he has recorded, and from his discography it is quite clear that most of his songs have been recorded by other artists, so you can understand my berwilderment at the response of Universal recordsand there comments.
the version of Eve of Destruction by (M I A) has attracted the interest from two record companies, and in my opinion is one of the best versions todate.
