SMASHING PUMPKINS - CORGAN FIGHTS FOR RADIO ROYALTIES

CORGAN FIGHTS FOR RADIO ROYALTIES

SMASHING PUMPKINS star BILLY CORGAN has testified before U.S. Congress in support of a new bill that would require radio stations to pay musicians every time their songs are played.
The rocker appeared at a House Judiciary Committee hearing in Washington D.C. on Tuesday (10Mar09) on behalf of the musicFIRST Coallition, which has introduced a new legislation called the Performance Rights Act.
The act seeks to change the current law, which dictates that radio stations must pay royalties to songwriters - but not performing artists - when broadcasting songs.
Corgan insists that musicians must be compensated for their music - because failure to do so would keep new acts from earning a living in the recording industry.
The star says: "Like many of my peers, I come from a working-class background, beginning my musical journey playing in dingy bars and college lunchrooms. Being a performer requires countless hours of dedication to your craft. It is not an easy business to undertake, and for every success story, there are many who have not had the opportunities that I’ve had.
"All areas of the modern music business are currently feeling the shifting tides as new models emerge and old ones are broken up. Ours is a business that always begins with the brilliance of the artists. Contrary to long-held myths, it does take money to create new music. The future demands new partnerships and a rethinking of long-held practices about how artists should be compensated for their music."