From Alex Hern at the Guardian
Vintage recordings may have been published in attempt to extend copyright protection
A mysterious YouTube account that posted, then hid, a collection of 75 rare and unpublished Rolling Stones recordings may have been a canny attempt to avoid EU copyright laws and keep the tracks out of the public domain on the 50th anniversary of their creation.
Shortly before midnight on 31 December, the YouTube account 69RSTRAX posted a collection of recordings including studio out-takes and live performances to its public page on the video-sharing site, with no commentary or explanation. Hours later, on 1 January, again with no warning, the account made all the videos private.
69RSTRAX only joined YouTube on 29 December, and offers no clues as to its identity – save a YouTube-mandated email address, which directs business enquiries to ABKCO, a music publishing company that owns the rights to a substantial chunk of early Rolling Stones recordings.
According to Variety magazine, which first reported the brief publication, the explanation could lie in the European Union’s copyright directive. Under EU law, sound recordings are covered by copyright for the first 50 calendar years after they were made – unless they have been “lawfully communicated to the public”, in which case the copyright term extends a further 20 years.
At the end of 2019, then, ABKCO would have faced a “use it or lose it” conundrum: if it did not publish the tracks it held, it would find it difficult to monetise them in the future, as the copyright for the recordings (though not the compositions) would lapse.
Some publishers, faced with similar issues, have released collections of recordings – of interest to super-fans only – such as the Beatles’ 2013 album Bootleg Recordings 1963. Others, perhaps less eager to share early, unfinished versions of songs with the world, have pushed what it means to “publish” tracks: a Bob Dylan compilation, literally published as “The Copyright Extension Collection, Volume 1”, was also released in 2013 in an edition of 100, and only sold in Europe.
But this would be the first time a label has taken such a minimalist approach to publication. Even while the Stones tracks were available on YouTube, they were reportedly tampered with to make them less appealing to fans who might rip them and share them elsewhere. “The rarest recordings – ie the ones not previously available on bootlegs – have a dial-tone-like sound as loud as the music,” reported Variety’s Jem Aswad, making them “a truly miserable listening experience”.
It remains unclear whether a publication of a single day, on one internet video platform, will be enough to satisfy European judges that the tracks were indeed “lawfully communicated to the public”.
ABKCO declined to comment.
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ROLLING STONES Get Stoned - 30 Greatest Hits (1977 Dutch
30-track double LP compilation, gatefold picture sleeve with
montage across the inner spread. The sleeve displays just a
little light general wear and the vinyl looks barely played
ADEP32) ROLLING STONES Big Hits (High Tide And Green Grass) (Rare
1966 UK first issue 14-track stereo LP compilation on the
green unboxed Decca label, front laminated gatefold sleeve
with integral 8-page booklet. The sleeve has just minor signs
of storage with one or two light spots of wear and minimal
laminate lift, mostly to the spine. The heavyweight vinyl
remains Excellent, after it was professionally cleaned, there
is only evidence of play indicated by the few spindle marks on
the labels, overall a really nice example TXS101) ROLLING STONES Honk (2019 UK limited edition 36-track
triple heavyweight vinyl compilation LP featuring
essential Stones' tracks from each of their studio albums
since 1971 including the eight Top 10 singles Brown Sugar,
Tumbling Dice,Angie, It’s Only Rock And Roll [But I Like It]
Fool To Cry, Miss You, Emotional Rescue and Start Me Up.
Bringing their story up to date, Honk also contains 'Doom &
Gloom' which was recorded in 2012, as well as Just Your Fool,
Ride 'Em Down andHate To See You Go from the band's 2016's
Grammy Award-winning 'Blue & Lonesome'. The discs are
housed in a tri-fold picture sleeve with illustrated tracklisting
inners. The sleeve is free of wear and the vinyl has one or two
faint cosmetic paper marks but minimal evidence of play) ROLLING STONES The Canadian Collection (2005 Canadian
exclusive Strictly Limited Edition set issued to promote the
North American Tour containing 9 CD albums and a total of
104 classic recordings originally released between 1971
[Sticky Fingers]and 1991 [Flashpoint], each CD is presented
in unique sealed card picture slipcase with Maple Leaf
Canadian flag Tongue logo design and album artwork - a
fantastic collectors set!) ROLLING STONES Still Life (1982 UK 10-track LP recorded live
on the 1981 American Tour, complete with picture inner,
gatefold picture sleeve. The sleeve shows minimal shelfwear
& the vinyl remains in superb condition with few signs of play
CUN39115)EIL.COM Favourite Music Update Rare CDs, CD Singles, Rare Records, Vinyl Records, Albums and Music
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