Southington Pub Named In Music Copyright Complaint

SOUTHINGTON, CT — The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers said Tuesday that it has filed 19 separate "copyright infringement actions" against bars and restaurants nationwide — including a venue in Southington — for the "unauthorized" use of music.

According to Jackson Wagener, ASCAP's vice president for business and legal affairs, a lawsuit was the "last resort," after failed attempts to secure a license from the Blackstone Irish Pub in Southington, in accordance with U.S. copyright law.

He described ASCAP as an association that represents more than 725,000 songwriters, composers and publishers. ASCAP's members give it the authority to license the right to publicly perform their music to businesses. He said ASCAP distributes nearly 90 cents of every dollar collected back to its members as royalties.

"Music is enormously valuable to bars and restaurants, creating an emotional connection with patrons and providing the right ambiance to attract and retain customers," ASCAP Executive Vice President of Licensing Stephanie Ruyle said. "However, each of the establishments sued today has decided to use music without compensating songwriters. Hundreds of thousands of well-run businesses across the nation recognize the importance of paying music creators to use their music, and understand that it is both the lawful and right thing to do. By filing these actions, ASCAP is standing up for songwriters whose creative work brings great value to all businesses that publicly perform their music."

A license covers "the entire ASCAP repertory" of more than 11.5 million musical works with the average cost for bars and restaurants being "less than $2 per day," association officials said.

Attempts to reach Blackstone ownership on Tuesday were unsuccessful. The pub is located at 1678 Meriden-Waterbury Turnpike.

Famed songwriter Paul Williams, who serves as ASCAP chairman and president, said, "We want every business that uses music to prosper, including bars and restaurants. After all, as songwriters and composers, we are small business owners, too, and music is more than an art form for us. It’s how we put food on the table and send our kids to school. Most businesses know that an ASCAP license allows them to offer music legally, efficiently and at a reasonable price – while compensating music creators so we can earn a living from our work and keep doing what we do best – writing music."

According to Wagener, ASCAP's representatives first reached out to Blackstone ownership about licensing "on or around 2013" and made more than 30 attempts to obtain licensing via mail, email, telephone, and in-person visits.

Wagener said ASCAP views litigation as a "last resort."

Other venues cited inclue:

• Amsterdam Bar and Hall (St. Paul, MN)
• The Back Room (New York, NY)
• Blue Velvet Lounge (Madison, WI)
• Chapter One (Santa Ana, CA)
• Cider Mill Lounge (Portland, OR)
• Club Arcada (St. Charles, IL)
• Columbia City Theater (Seattle, WA)
• Dick's Wings & Grill (North Jacksonville, FL)
• Mansion Costa Mesa (Costa Mesa, CA)
• Meadowlark Bar (Denver, CO)
• Nickel & Rye (Dallas, TX)
• Origin Boutique Nightclub (San Francisco, CA)
• P.O.E.T.S. Billiards (College Station, TX)
• Rednecks (Omaha, NE)
• The Republic House (Pasadena, TX)
• Rialto Poolroom (Portland, OR)
• St. James Live (Atlanta, GA)
• Silk Exotic Milwaukee Gentlemen's Club (Milwaukee, WI)