AT Date: Sat, 26 Jun 2004 16:31:17 Bryan wrote:

>Artist royalties are usually paid bi-yearly, so he should have
>received at least two statements, every six months each year...
>between 1974 and 1997

The key words here are "should have".  I deal with a lot of artists in Bill 
Nelson's age group and career cycle. This scenerio happens/happened/is 
happening all the time. You're right, Nelson should have been on top of this 
sooner. But, I know too many guys who have never, and will never, make a 
dime from their legacy because of bad label/management/band shenanigans 
particularly lack of accounting. Our act The Killer Dwarfs have never 
received a statement for the 4 albums they released on Epic Records. They 
are unrecouped, but they are still legally owed documents bi-annually 
showing the deficit and any accrued revenues from re-issues and what have 
you.

I've actually gone to bat for some of my acts to help them sort out these 
matters....but the cost, like in Nelson's case, is prohibitive.

The story that EMI gave about BeBop Deluxe Ltd's bankruptcy giving them no 
accountability is a load of horseshit as well unless there was a provision 
in the original deal stating that failure to function as a band or a 
corporate entity forfeited the rights. If that deal was signed, managers and 
lawyers should have been drawn and quartered.


Jaimie Vernon,
President, Bullseye Records
http://www.bullseyecanada.com
Author, Canadian Pop Music Encyclopedia
http://www.canoe.ca/JamMusicPopEncycloPages