![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
IRISH MUSICIANS TO PROTEST AT OFFICES OF GREEN LINNET MUSIC
IN DANBURY, CONNECTICUT OCTOBER 13, 2003
Claim years of non-payment of royalties and
inappropriately applied deductions
WHEN: OCTOBER 13, 2003
WHERE: 81 BEAVER BROOK ROAD, DANBURY CONNECTICUT
TIME: 5:00 P.M
Major Irish and Irish American recording artists have
combined to take legal action against Green Linnet
Music in a law suit unprecedented in the history of
Irish music. They plan to lead a musical protest at
the company’s offices in hopes of galvanizing this
grass roots cause. There will be renditions of old
labor movement tunes and appearances by guest artists
joining them in the protest -- the likes of which has
not been seen since the mid 1960’s. They ask that
fellow musicians, their fans and others who believe
in their cause come out to support them.
The famed Irish groups Altan and Cherish the Ladies,
nine time All-Ireland fiddle champion and musical star
of Riverdance, Eileen Ivers, National Heritage Award
winner Mick Moloney and All Ireland Champion
multi-instrumentalist Joanie Madden have come together
because they share a common outrage at the way they
have been treated by one of the major recording
companies in world music.
Green Linnet Records has been a leading force in
recording and distributing Celtic music for over 25
years. The company has over 300 masters licensed and
features a star Irish music roster. Owner Wendy
Newton has been quoted to say, "We certainly have the
best profile of any Celtic label, because we not only
release the records, we actively sell and promote
them."
“It would probably shock most Irish music fans to know
that the artists who recorded their favorite Green
Linnet albums have not been paid,” said famed fiddle
player Eileen Ivers. The law suit recently filed by
the artists (who irreverently refer to themselves as
“The Green Linnet Five”) highlights the fact that
Green Linnet has consistently failed and refused to
provide timely accountings or royalty statements to
their artists; that the company underpays and fails to
report income regarding the commercial exploitation of
the artist’s master recordings; that they improperly
reduced the rate of royalties due and inappropriately
applied deductions without a contractual basis to do
so and to everyone’s amazement has the unfettered gall
to continue to commercially exploit master recordings
for years after the licensing agreements for these
albums expired. Additionally the company fails to list
income and pay royalties on a number of compilation
albums that contain recordings from the artists.
World-class musician Joanie Madden pointed out that
“we tried to negotiate with them for a year.
Ultimately we realized that they had no intention of
bargaining in good faith or paying us.”
According to their attorney, Bob Donnelly, “’The Green
Linnet Five’ are simply demanding that Green Linnet’s
numerous and continued breaches of contract warrant
full payment of royalties owed, a return of their
master recordings and an immediate cessation of
exploiting the artists’ work.”
The protest will hopefully aid in bringing to light
the cause of the Green Linnet 5 and a lead to a fair
and just result.
If you love Irish music and want to support these
artists PLEASE JOIN US!
Directions: Take I-684 North towards Brewster. Merge
onto I-84 East - exit 9E towards Danbury. Take Exit 8
US-6 E / Newtown Road Exit. Turn Right onto Newtown
Road go down 3/4's of a mile (you'll pass Holiday Inn,
Taco Bell and McDonalds). Make a right at light onto
Old Newtown Road. Go 3/10ths of a mile and the road
comes to a Y. Bear Right before the stop sign onto
Beaver Brook Road. After 2/10th's of a mile you'll
see West End Power Equipment on your left. Go slow
and turn left into next driveway. You'll see a big
red Brick Building with Pilgrim Electronics written on
the side - address is 60 Beaver Brook Road. Park in
rear of the building.
IN DANBURY, CONNECTICUT OCTOBER 13, 2003
Claim years of non-payment of royalties and
inappropriately applied deductions
WHEN: OCTOBER 13, 2003
WHERE: 81 BEAVER BROOK ROAD, DANBURY CONNECTICUT
TIME: 5:00 P.M
Major Irish and Irish American recording artists have
combined to take legal action against Green Linnet
Music in a law suit unprecedented in the history of
Irish music. They plan to lead a musical protest at
the company’s offices in hopes of galvanizing this
grass roots cause. There will be renditions of old
labor movement tunes and appearances by guest artists
joining them in the protest -- the likes of which has
not been seen since the mid 1960’s. They ask that
fellow musicians, their fans and others who believe
in their cause come out to support them.
The famed Irish groups Altan and Cherish the Ladies,
nine time All-Ireland fiddle champion and musical star
of Riverdance, Eileen Ivers, National Heritage Award
winner Mick Moloney and All Ireland Champion
multi-instrumentalist Joanie Madden have come together
because they share a common outrage at the way they
have been treated by one of the major recording
companies in world music.
Green Linnet Records has been a leading force in
recording and distributing Celtic music for over 25
years. The company has over 300 masters licensed and
features a star Irish music roster. Owner Wendy
Newton has been quoted to say, "We certainly have the
best profile of any Celtic label, because we not only
release the records, we actively sell and promote
them."
“It would probably shock most Irish music fans to know
that the artists who recorded their favorite Green
Linnet albums have not been paid,” said famed fiddle
player Eileen Ivers. The law suit recently filed by
the artists (who irreverently refer to themselves as
“The Green Linnet Five”) highlights the fact that
Green Linnet has consistently failed and refused to
provide timely accountings or royalty statements to
their artists; that the company underpays and fails to
report income regarding the commercial exploitation of
the artist’s master recordings; that they improperly
reduced the rate of royalties due and inappropriately
applied deductions without a contractual basis to do
so and to everyone’s amazement has the unfettered gall
to continue to commercially exploit master recordings
for years after the licensing agreements for these
albums expired. Additionally the company fails to list
income and pay royalties on a number of compilation
albums that contain recordings from the artists.
World-class musician Joanie Madden pointed out that
“we tried to negotiate with them for a year.
Ultimately we realized that they had no intention of
bargaining in good faith or paying us.”
According to their attorney, Bob Donnelly, “’The Green
Linnet Five’ are simply demanding that Green Linnet’s
numerous and continued breaches of contract warrant
full payment of royalties owed, a return of their
master recordings and an immediate cessation of
exploiting the artists’ work.”
The protest will hopefully aid in bringing to light
the cause of the Green Linnet 5 and a lead to a fair
and just result.
If you love Irish music and want to support these
artists PLEASE JOIN US!
Directions: Take I-684 North towards Brewster. Merge
onto I-84 East - exit 9E towards Danbury. Take Exit 8
US-6 E / Newtown Road Exit. Turn Right onto Newtown
Road go down 3/4's of a mile (you'll pass Holiday Inn,
Taco Bell and McDonalds). Make a right at light onto
Old Newtown Road. Go 3/10ths of a mile and the road
comes to a Y. Bear Right before the stop sign onto
Beaver Brook Road. After 2/10th's of a mile you'll
see West End Power Equipment on your left. Go slow
and turn left into next driveway. You'll see a big
red Brick Building with Pilgrim Electronics written on
the side - address is 60 Beaver Brook Road. Park in
rear of the building.
