Poets and Pirates...

Not just the title of a Kenny Chesney album, no.

It's the real life, modern-day battle between those who create music for a living (poets) and those who "use or reproduce another's work for profit without permission (pirates)."  And we Poets need your help!  Even if you are not a songwriter or music industry professional, you can support your local songwriter friends by writing a letter to your congressman to say you support the STOP ONLINE PIRACY ACT H.R. 3261).  AND - if you buy online, always buy your music from legitimate online sources.

Want to learn more?  http://www.copyhype.com/2011/10/stop-online-piracy-act-walkthrough/

I received this email from NSAI (Nashville Songwriters Association International) today and I'm posting it here:

Dear Songwriters and Music Industry Professionals:

Legislation to combat online music piracy has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. This legislation, if adopted, will streamline the way rogue websites can be removed from the Internet in America. Write your Congressman NOW to show support for this important bill. A draft letter is attached that you can personalize. Other information about the bill is also attached.

There are those who claim this legislation will destroy the Internet and Congress has heard aggressively from the other side. Now lawmakers need to hear from you!!! Please forward this information to other songwriters and encourage them to respond. The link below will help you locate your Congressman by zip code.

We have attached a suggested letter, but feel free to add your own story of how Internet music piracy has impacted your royalties or your career dreams.

Thanks... WRITE TODAY! I CANNOT STRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS ENOUGH!

Bart Herbison
Executive Director
National Songwriters Association

You can find your congressman at:

https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml

Here is the sample letter NSAI:

Dear (Insert your Congressman's name here):

I am a songwriter/composer writing to encourage you to sponsor and support The Stop Online Piracy Act (H.R. 3261).

Over the past decade, Internet music piracy has decimated the American music industry and wrought particular devastation on the profession of songwriter/composer.  As many as 90% of our country’s professional songwriters and composers are no longer able to earn a full-time royalty income for one simple reason – Internet music piracy.  Royalties have shrunk dramatically and so have the creative opportunities for songwriters and composers.

The legislation will allow removal of rogue websites whose primary activity is based on piracy.  Many of the sites are located in the former Soviet Union and distribute copyrighted material with no compensation whatsoever.  In many instances the sites are simply criminal enterprises which operate with no fear of reprisal.

America is losing tens of billions of dollars each year due to Internet piracy of movies, music and other copyrighted American creations.  This legislation will help reverse a trend that sees billions of copyrighted files (music, movies, television shows and other copyrighted works) being illegally distributed each month.

The bill also increases criminal penalties for individuals who traffic in counterfeit medicine and military goods, which put innocent civilians and American soldiers at risk. And it improves coordination between IP enforcement agencies in the U.S.

(Insert a personal message or example about how piracy has impacted your career or opportunities if you wish.)


We need your help and support.
Sincerely,

NAME
ADDRESS

Begin at the Beginning

Where else do you start?  Welcome to my blog.  This is a little intimidating... I feel as if I have to use words with more than one syllable, comment on philosophy, religion, politics and culture.  Well, that may happen occasionally, but this blog will always be about songs and songwriting.

The name?  Schparkenmusik?  I don't want to spawn any urban legends, so here it is, straight from the horse's keyboard.  Our first puppy and my grandma.  Grandma was German and spoke German to us sometimes - usually when she was cussing at us for playing in the cow pasture.  So I often heard the lovely German sounds, like "sch", as in the Wayne Newton classic Danke Schoen.  (Or in "scheiss.)  We named our puppy Sparky.  (My Grandma's name was Hildagard.) Sparky had European lineage, and when we registered her with the AKA, my husband and I called her Rebel Rouser vom Schparkenholz.  And when it came to choosing a name for my publishing, Schparkenholz morphed in to Schparkenmusik.

That's the story behind Schparkenmusik.

Little did I know that the first rule for choosing a publishing name is to "use your name so that people can find you and pay you."  E.g., Wendy Wills Music.  The second rule is to choose a name people can pronounce.  shpar-ken-MU-zik.