BMI, BACK AND FORTH

Where do I begin to comment on your blind-sheep proclamations (see "BMI Works for Me," letter by John Graveside, May 13) to Sara Donnelly’s article (see "Acoustic Coffee Fights Back," April 29)?

I guess my bottom-line question is: Why do you feel as though you should be paid for the rest of your life and beyond for a performance that you never participated in and where no money exchanged hands? Only one answer comes to mind: greed . . . orgasmic greed.

It’s one thing for you to say, "Okay, this venue is playing my CD, charging a cover, and making money off of me." But, for you to expect a handout for someone else’s interpretation of your song performed in a free venue; why, that’s cheeky. As my grandmother used to say, I’d hate to have your nerve in my tooth. You should be flattered that someone would be so inspired by your song that they would want to perform it. Instead you take the "what’s in if for me?" approach. The free advertising alone should placate your fiscal libido. If you want to make more money, John, then you go perform your music; sell your CDs.

Now, on to Kaki King. If you were a regular patron, you’d already know that that show was an exception . . . nay, a mother-humping odd exception . . . not to mention, a favor to a friend. Kaki’s show, no matter how spectacular, created the exact atmosphere that our "little coffee shop" strives daily to avoid.

Sure, we could charge covers, serve liquor, put in beer taps, hire only popular bands that could guarantee large enough crowds (probably triple that of our legal capacity) to make enough money to pay everyone including your goons. However, that is not how we do it at Acoustic Coffee. We are "different from every other place in Portland" because we create a listening room for every level of performer. It’s about fostering creativity and developing a space for all income levels to enjoy live entertainment. Your greed has no place here.

This topic has started quite the rousing on-line debate, and I feel one anonymous poster said it best:

"I think that BMI, ASCAP, and the rest of the entire conglomerate Nashville, New York, Los Angeles big music/big radio thing are scared to death about the new grassroots singer/songwriter movement, the Internet as a distribution point that helps even the playing field (Go, CD Baby, Go!!!), $2000 fully capable music production and CD burning studios, short-run CD packagers, a bezillion cable channels up for sale/rental, etc.

"They don’t want to see the whole equation of music change to one where the musicians reacquire the playing field and create rules and avenues that honor music as a shared art form and a heart-driven medium of expression.

"It’s in their best interest to keep it cold, sterilely packaged, elitist and with enormous barriers to entry on any kind of real income-sustaining level.

"I think the fact that the guys in silk suits are spending their Harvard pay-scale time leaning on coffee shops in which cover songs are played as an exception rather than a rule underscores their feelings of loss of control and desperation. It’s kind of like the USA invading Iraq to show "muscle." I imagine that George W. Bush is a big ol’ fan of BMI."

This is a freedom of speech issue. You mentioned in a later phone conversation that Acoustic Coffee must pay the nearly $1500/a year licenses because "that’s how it works." Sorry, but just because it’s status quo doesn’t mean it’s just. It’s time to re-work the formula.

Margaret Lyons

Co-Owner of Acoustic Coffee

Portland