Robert Fripp's Diary for Monday, 29th June 2009

Robert Fripp's Diary

	Monday, 29th June 2009

12.15

Bredonborough.

Builders’ meeting at 10.00.

Back to e-frenzying, addressing the latest copyright violation, in this case Island UMG & the Island Trading Company. From my e-letter…

1. i wonder what view UMG / Island TC might take if DGM had released anything at all, using your copyright material without acknowledgement, permission or any attempt to be in touch & acquire permission? well, no answer necessary: i'm assuming we all know.

2. when island records & music were sold to polygram in july 1989 for £272m, i wonder how much of this went to the artists? probably, as much as the artists were felt to be worth in contributing to the success of island.

two points were demonstrated in the sale:

i) the primacy of copyright ownership;
ii) the value attributed to artists (ie nil).

one of the pillars of the ethical company is equity. equity we recognise as distributive justice & fairness. in the distribution ratio...

company 100%
artists 0%

... i recognise inequity, unfairness, distributive injustice. isn't it absurd that i even have to comment on this?

3. the unauthorised use of RF/KC copyright material by Island TC demonstrates...

i) the valuelessness attributed to artist interests;
ii) the unimportance of copyright ownership when that ownership is vested with artist/s.

4. my professional background, prior to music, is estate agency. that is, my professional grounding is in business. for the subsequent 42 years as a professional player i have been exploited & lied to on an ongoing basis, with RF/KC copyrights stolen & mis-used (even by Universal).

in general, it seems that the artist is viewed as an unfortunate necessity in generating income for others. this view i have countered since 1991 by extended litigation & dispute with major industry players, who know the artist is in an inferior position & is rarely willing to defend their position against the comparatively overwhelming power of a major. my toleration of this exploitation & clearly careless treatment is at an all-time low.

my position, as artist owner/controller of all relevant copyrights, is rare.

5. (you write) I hope that we might come to terms to agree continued use given the Court Of the Crimson King artwork is so seminal.

if the artwork were of such importance, surely someone would have applied for permission? i wonder, if Island TC were using Sony copyright material, whether an effort would have been made to get permission?

6. long experience has shown that reasonable appeals to those who act unreasonably are mostly unsuccessful; and that the action that seems to have more effect is the payment of large sums of money that, in an equitable world, would be unnecessary.

we have two choices:

i) payment of a punitive & exemplary license fee. the figure i have in mind is £25,000.00.
ii) pulp the book.

a possible third option would be a payment of £10,000 to accompany a written apology, and then pulp the book.

7. i may be offline for two weeks, conducting a Guitar Craft seminar in spain. please communicate directly with declan colgan, who is responsible for RF/DGM licensing & copyright matters, with a copy to myself, please.

15.28 Packing for Spain…