This notice is a little late in coming (and didn’t make it into our Year in Review post last week) but, let it be known, that Safford & Baker has taken a desk at the Tech Brewery in Ann Arbor (1327 Jones Dr.).

What is the Tech Brewery exactly?  It’s a self-described “community of technologists, entrepreneurs, and startups.”  It started as a small group of individuals but eventually desks got pushed together, companies formed, and the place now boasts eighteen full or part-time tenants.  A complete list can be found on the website and include startup guru/serial entrepreneur Dug Song’s newest venture Scio …read more

On Wednesday, August 12, 2009, I’ll be presenting a copyright law lecture for musician and composers through VSA Arts of Michigan at the Russell St. Bazaar in Detroit (7500 Chrysler, Detroit, MI 48211) from 1:00 – 5:00 p.m.  The lecture will cover copyright law basics with a focus on protecting and exploiting musical works.  The fee is $10 (scholarships are available for artists with disabilities).  A more detailed description of the program can be found here.  For more information about this program contact the VSAMI office at 313-832-3303 or email at info@vsami.org.

–Matt

U.S. copyright law does not recognize a public performance right for sound recordings.  When you hear a record over terrestrial (AM/FM) radio, the broadcaster only pays performance royalties to the composer of the musical composition, while no performance royalties are paid to the owner of the sound recording.  Why?  Well, for long and complicated reasons but, essentially, because congress wanted to reward the poor composer hunched over his piano but decided that radio play was free record promotion for the owner of the sound recording — and, hence, no need for additional payment since they were making their money through record sales.  The United States has lagged behind the rest of the world, which predominantly …read more

I will be attending the Detroit Regional Chamber’s annual Mackinac Policy Conference this week.  Despite the fact that the economy is ensuring that this year’s event will be a little bit lighter on attendees, the event’s agenda is as robust as ever.  As time allows, I will try to post on all of the legal, tech, and startup-related happenings.

–Matt

This YouTube video is making its way through the blogosphere.  It is a very impressive mash-up of homemade music clips, each of which the author carefully credits.  This video is a terrific illustration of the mash-up art movement — a movement that is frequently at odds with our current copyright policy.

If you are interested in this topic, myself and others will be addressed it as part of the “Remixing the Rules” panel discussion taking place on Thursday, March 26, 2009, from 1 – 2:30 p.m. at the WORK Gallery in Ann Arbor.

–Matt