Re: Legal Eagle

["Nathan Hevensone" <nhevensone@xxxxxxxxx>]

I'm searching right now for a site that has the basics for, at least,
American bootleg laws.  I do know that it runs like this in America:

It is illegal to record live shows w/o authorization and it is illegal
to sell those recordings.  However, there is nothing in American law,
at least, that says you cannot buy or own unofficial recordings not
sold by the bands.  For example, I am well within the law to own all
the bootlegs I do, and I am well within the law to buy from Fisheads
and receive those discs.  And I will win if prosecuted (I know because
I have already... won in local court and the plaintiff didn't bother
to take it further... the judge told her not to try... she'll lose in
state, too).  I move outside the law if I sell those recordings and/or
record a show without authorization.

Regardless of what is defined in the law, most people get away with
recording/selling about 80% of the time.  If you're in America, tell
your friend he's an idiot and you are well within the law to acquire
and own those bootlegs.

Here is an interesting snippet, though:
http://www.out-law.com/page-4928



Okay, so some sites with info on the matter:
http://www.mygnrforum.com/index.php?showtopic=29338
http://www.dawnation.com/menu3/bootlegs.html (<-This one is seriously
in-depth...)

There are a lot more.  Here's a link to my search "are bootlegs
illegal?" on Google:
http://www.google.com/search?q=%22are+bootlegs+illegal%3F%22&sourceid=navclient-ff&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1B3GGGL_enUS209US209

Does that help?




On 2/26/07, ED <soundman@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Hello All.
> I know this is a boring subject, but  I need to know.
>   I have probly over 200 bootlegs of Led Zeppelin in my possession.
> A friend of mine says that I am in violation of the law for this.
> Am I?
>  I have been collecting these shows since 1980 and have been under the
> understanding that as long as I
> don't sell them everything is cool.
> If you can help, please do. A web page, whatever. Can you back me up?
> Thank,Ed