The Straits US Tour

[Silvertown]

At the very least they should pay royalties for making money from performing MK's songs, because according to Guy they don't!

I am sure they pay royalties !!! Every cover band on a scale like this has to - or indirectly, the one who runs the venue or organizes the gig.
However, Guy would probably not know who pays and who not as they do not pay directly to MK or his management but to the 'performing rights society' (how do you call it?) of the country where the gig is, in Germany this is the GEMA who later transfers royalties to the artist.

Dont think thats right, think about the 1000's of bands across the world playing rubbish covers at weddings. The Straits are no different just a larger scale.

At least in some countries clubs etc. should pay to rights society, which guards artists' rights. But live performance does not need any permission.   

[jbaent]

At the very least they should pay royalties for making money from performing MK's songs, because according to Guy they don't!

I am sure they pay royalties !!! Every cover band on a scale like this has to - or indirectly, the one who runs the venue or organizes the gig.
However, Guy would probably not know who pays and who not as they do not pay directly to MK or his management but to the 'performing rights society' (how do you call it?) of the country where the gig is, in Germany this is the GEMA who later transfers royalties to the artist.

Dont think thats right, think about the 1000's of bands across the world playing rubbish covers at weddings. The Straits are no different just a larger scale.

That bands also plays the rights, at least in Spain. In a wedding, someone has to pay that rights to the SGAE, which is the Spanish Society that gets the money for the rights and then, its suppose its distributed to the artists. Who pays that money? In a wedding, usually the venue, that charged this cost to the groom and bride.

In Spain you also pay money to SGAE for having music in your bussiness.

So, its sure that The Straits paid for the rights of the songs when they played Spain last year. I

[naif]

I saw this tv record a couple weeks ago and i think they're enjoyable.,



I don't think about Mark rights, i'm not his lawyer or manager. I love Mark's almost all songs and i'm happy about listening this classics. Mark ignored his past to play the same solo songs tour and tour and tour... Even the DS songs was the same. Now he don't play SOS too. I'm not think about, rights, right thing, wrong thing or something like that. I'm just a music lover and these guys doing a fine job. For me that's all that matters.

[Banjo99uk]

I think a venue has to hold a licence for the music to be played which they will pay for and recoup from ticket sales, drinks etc etc. Nobody keeps track of what is played like on the radio so I dont know how the fee is distributed. 

[dustyvalentino]

I think a venue has to hold a licence for the music to be played which they will pay for and recoup from ticket sales, drinks etc etc. Nobody keeps track of what is played like on the radio so I dont know how the fee is distributed.

They do in the uk, even small venues give you a sheet that you fill in worth the name of the song and the author, this then gets sent to the Performing Rights Society and royalties are distributed accordingly.

http://www.venturenavigator.co.uk/content/499

[dustyvalentino]

Also, Scotland isn't even or their radar!  A band like that are now going not only to Europe but now to the US and haven't even been to Scotland yet!  Even 1 Direction came to the SECC!  Not that I want them, indeed I deem it a badge of honour that they haven't been.

They had a gig arranged in Glasgow but it was cancelled due to "lack of advertising funds."

They have played a couple of festivals too, including an 80s nostalgia fest with other washed up has beens.

[schmonka]

I saw this tv record a couple weeks ago and i think they're enjoyable.,



I don't think about Mark rights, i'm not his lawyer or manager. I love Mark's almost all songs and i'm happy about listening this classics. Mark ignored his past to play the same solo songs tour and tour and tour... Even the DS songs was the same. Now he don't play SOS too. I'm not think about, rights, right thing, wrong thing or something like that. I'm just a music lover and these guys doing a fine job. For me that's all that matters.

mmm - thats a pretty poor show - im sure the long haired MK wannabe didnt even get the words right - he seems to say "scarred for life....no compensations" which as we all know isnt quite right...

Its easy for a group to form and base their fame on another band, sell themselves as the original Dire Straits and basically dupe the public to think they are getting MK and the full DS band...they are a tribute band on steroids...nothing else.  Im sure Alan is a pretty talented guy - so why did he take the easy maoney making path and try to go back 20 years and live past lives.  He could have started a band which most people on this forum would take a lot more seriously that The Straits....

[Pottel]

that telegraph road playing is bad man,...sorry, i really tried.
but what is wrong with "scarred for life..no compensations"?? always thought that's what it was?

[vgonis]

I believe that the moral case should be left out. The phrasing on the article could be perceived in more than one way. (yeap, I would avoid doing it, but they have to promote their band as exceptional).  There is some sort of prejudice. Mind you, I would probably not go to see them(and anyway Greece is too small a market to even consider it) , but I don't find anything immoral in their playing, as a tribute band with the extra of having two of the original members, in their line-up. And , yes, every band that makes money out of playing other people's songs pay an amount of money. Even in Greece, we have this and I know it stands for Germany, Italy and the USA. (apart from UK and Spain that is mentioned) I guess MK could stop them from playing if he was offended, but he can see that like any other tribute band, it helps him, filling the gaps and stimulating the desire for the original, so more sales for his records and tickets for his concerts. Anyway, we forget that Alan and his band are musicians and they have to make a living off of music. It is hard to start over with new material, now, even if they are the greatest songs ever, but they have to pay the bills somehow. If their live-concerts are worth the ticket, is the only thing we should be concerned. 

[dmg]

that telegraph road playing is bad man,...sorry, i really tried.
but what is wrong with "scarred for life..no compensations"?? always thought that's what it was?

Hmm...well strictly it's "scarred for life..no compensation," but there isn't much difference!

[Vesper]

that telegraph road playing is bad man,...sorry, i really tried.

Can't agree with you more Pottel.
But I think they are one of the best cover bands of Dire Straits, and pretty professional too.
Their is also a german cover band who have a pretty good guitarist, but I can't recall they're name right now

[LoveExpresso]

DIRE STRATS with Wolfgang Uhlich. Really great guitar player and obviously a great guy. . But pity enough, I think the singer is just too bad. Can't stand his way of singing, but that is my absolute personal view. Also I don't like the heavy use of synthesizers from them, but that's an hommage to the 80's aLCHEMY times me thinks.. Wolfgang Uhlich himself is without any doubt one of the best MK-impersonators when it comes to guitar playing. There are plenty of videos on YouTube, I suggest strongly to check them out!

Plus I would always prefer a really good cover band like DIRE STRATS (who by the way have a pretty big fanbase themselves in the meantime), which are really where they are because of their pure enthusiasm for Dire Straits music to any Alan-Clark-driven-bad-mannered-way-of-let's-see-how-I-can-give-Mark-a-kick-in-the-ass-band...

LE

[Vesper]

DIRE STRATS with Wolfgang Uhlich. Really great guitar player and obviously a great guy. . But pity enough, I think the singer is just too bad. Can't stand his way of singing, but that is my absolute personal view. Also I don't like the heavy use of synthesizers from them, but that's an hommage to the 80's aLCHEMY times me thinks.. Wolfgang Uhlich himself is without any doubt one of the best MK-impersonators when it comes to guitar playing. There are plenty of videos on YouTube, I suggest strongly to check them out!

Plus I would always prefer a really good cover band like DIRE STRATS (who by the way have a pretty big fanbase themselves in the meantime), which are really where they are because of their pure enthusiasm for Dire Straits music to any Alan-Clark-driven-bad-mannered-way-of-let's-see-how-I-can-give-Mark-a-kick-in-the-ass-band...

LE

Thanks LE for your addition to my post!
You just perfectly put my thoughts into words!

[dmg]

that telegraph road playing is bad man,...sorry, i really tried.

Can't agree with you more Pottel.
But I think they are one of the best cover bands of Dire Straits, and pretty professional too.
Their is also a german cover band who have a pretty good guitarist, but I can't recall they're name right now

I think Dire Strats are German.

Edit:  too slow!

[Knopflerfan]

Ive just spotted that 'The Straits' are playing a little theatre very close to home here in the UK in February, but alas I saw 'Dire Traits' a few years ago and they were absolutely awful and so that experience has put me off tribute acts.
Sorry but to me Dire Straits without 'MK' is like Laurel without Hardy in my eyes.......