Earlier this week the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) filed suit against Connolly’s Pub in Manhattan, charging that an unidentified band played two Springsteen songs in the bar although the establishment had not acquired the proper performance licensing for the tunes.
But Springsteen evidently doesn’t want any part of the legal action. A notice was also posted on his official Web site stating the artist was not aware of the lawsuit nor was he asked to participate in the legal action.
From BruceSpringsteen.net:
“In regards to the ASCAP lawsuit against Connolly’s Pub and Restaurant, ASCAP was solely responsible for naming Bruce Springsteen as a plaintiff in the lawsuit. Bruce Springsteen had no knowledge of this lawsuit, was not asked if he would participate as a named plaintiff, and would not have agreed to do so if he had been asked. Upon learning of this lawsuit this morning, Bruce Springsteen's representatives demanded the immediate removal of his name from the lawsuit.”
ASCAP is a performance rights organization charged with collecting songwriters’ royalties from broadcast outlets as well as live music venues. When the organization sues a venue for not paying licensing fees, it often cites a small number of possible violations, citing the works of one or two songwriters whose songs have allegedly been infringed upon. In many instances a band might have played copyrighted music all night long even though only two or three possible violations are mentioned in the resulting lawsuit.
In this case, ASCAP claims it has been trying to license the pub for quite some time.
“We had been after them [Connolly’s] for complying for over two years, so it’s not so much about who or where,” ASCAP senior VP for licensing Vincent Candilora said, according to the New York Daily News. “Why should those places that are complying with the law be at a competitive disadvantage?”
ASCAP’s lawsuit claimed two Springsteen songs – “Growing Up” and “Because The Night” – were played by an unidentified band at the club. According to the Daily News, a third song – “You’re No Good” – was also played at the pub and that the song’s author, Clinton Ballard Jr., was named in the lawsuit alongside Springsteen as being owed performance royalties.
Click here for BruceSpringsteen.net.
Click here to read the complete New York Daily News article announcing the lawsuit.