From The Muse's News
December 2000 Edition
by Jodi Krangle

Looking for a way to get a good summary of the legal information you need to know in order to make the most of your songwriting career? THE MUSICIAN'S GUIDE THROUGH THE LEGAL JUNGLE is one of the best ways I know of to get that overview.

The package consists of two tapes (about 3 hours of information split between the two) and a small booklet that summarizes the information on the tapes. The tapes consist of short opening explanations of what will be discussed, and then a question and answer dialogue going on between the "Artist" (Lynne Reynolds) and the "Expert" (James Chatelain). At the end of each segment (there are five of them), the Expert summarizes the information discussed.

This is really the best of both worlds. You get to sit back and simply use your ears rather than your eyes, but you can also refer to the handy booklet that's included. The booklet contains easy reference charts (for instance, which forms to use for copyright registration depending on the nature of the work, or how long a copyright lasts), resources (websites and contact information for frequently used services such as performing rights organizations and the US Copyright Office), information on what should be in certain legal agreements (for Band Partnership Agreements, Talent Agency Agreements, etc.), a glossary of terms, and more.

Joy has really put something special together here. Not only is the information explained in easily understood terms using specific (if manufactured) examples, but the readers on the tapes speak well, slowly enough to be clearly understood, and made me feel comfortable listening to them. (I swear that James' voice reminds me of the narrator from that really popular Civil War documentary...)

Confused about Copyrights? Don't understand why a Poor Man's Copyright won't hold up in a court of law? Want to know the difference between a mechanical license and a performing rights license? Interested in the legal differences between major record labels and independent labels? Want to know how best to go about retaining a music lawyer, should you need one? There are a whole host of other answers to frequently asked questions on the subject of music law - each one answered succinctly (and without talking down to the audience that would be listening to it, which I feel is very important), then cross-referenced in the small booklet that's included.

It's a portable guide that will give you the basics without requiring you to read a huge tome on the subject. This is one of the best references I've seen on this very confusing topic in YEARS. For $29.95 - less than most printed publications on the subject, I'd say this is a very worthy investment.