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Copyright if the Singer sit in jail (long time)

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20 comments, last by frob 7 years, 1 month ago

Hello everyone.

In my computer game, I want to use the music of well-known authors, but I would like to learn more about whether the performers are losing copyrights to their songs if they are in prison. A few popular artists I want to use are now serving long prison terms (25 years or more).
In fact, their labels and music companies abandoned these artists, therefore, music is available for free use?
Does anyone have a similar experience? Will there be any problems if I use this music based on the words above, if a label or the author suddenly pops up?
I will say frankly, I'm not afraid of legal proceedings, I'm just curious how serious everything can become.
[attachment=35998:johnny-cash-finger-2.jpg]]
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No, being in prison won't affect the copyright. In fact, for most music you hear, the relevant copyrights won't be owned by the artist, but by their record label and/or publisher, who presumably are not in jail.

You really don't own shit as the musician unless you self publish. So as Kylotan said you will have to talk to the publisher about licensing.

So, how I can understand, what label is an owner of musicians I need?
And, can label shut off the contract with criminal musician, or label become an absolute owner of this songs, no metter of situation with contract?

For a given track, find the album on Wikipedia, or Musicbrainz, or Google, or the album sleeve notes. These things are generally public knowledge. For certain types of license you would usually go via a licensing agency, but for video games it can be more complex, and is likely to be expensive.

I don't want to pay them=)))
What problem I should expect, if I will use unlicensed music?
Can they take away (steal) my game?

___

Upd: Damn, Im understand that I was wrong, stop make my rating worse!)

I don't want to pay them=)))
What problem I should expect, if I will use unlicensed music?
Can they take away (steal) my game?

They can take away not just your game, but also your car and the shirt you're wearing. If you use unlicensed music, even more so if you do it after publicly stating that you are aware there might be a problem (which makes things worse for you), it's you who is "stealing" (by legal terms, it's not stealing, but it boils down to the same thing). Your only hope of getting away with this is that you and your game are so unimportant that nobody notices. In ever other case, you're lost.
Damn, your american laws are auful. Where is your spirit, where is callenge, where is "f@ck the system" things? Are you independent developers or not?... You piss me off, I'm disappointed.
I don't mean "steal my game" as stealing, I just can't find another word to explain my message, because English is not my 1st language.
Anyway, I understand, will keep it in mind.

You're not making any sense. If you want to 'f@ck the system', go ahead, but we're just telling you what the results will be. And this is not specific to the USA; you'll incur much the same risk of being sued in almost any G20 country. The music is not yours to use, so the people who own it will stop you using it. I personally think creative people should try respecting the creative property of others.

I understand your position, and I'm respect creative property, but in this situation the creator will not get any cent from me, because he sit at the prison.
I don't truly understand, if singer do some sh@t and get in prison, if all record companions say to this singer: "f@ck you" and kick his ass out, why I must pay some crazy money to sound corporation, which stop working with this singer years ago. Maybe now this singer don't have any copyright at all, this is what I'm try to understand.

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