Re: Legal Eagle

[Jeff Lester <tdcrjeff@xxxxxxxxx>]

"Nathan Hevensone" <nhevensone@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

>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....

I have never heard of anyone actually prosecuted (much
less arrested) for recording a concert. However, the
Copyright Act seems to be pretty clear on this.

http://www.copyright.gov/title17/92chap11.html

Chapter 111
Sound Recordings and Music Videos
1101. Unauthorized fixation and trafficking in sound
recordings and music videos

§ 1101. Unauthorized fixation and trafficking in sound
recordings and music videos

(a) Unauthorized Acts. - Anyone who, without the
consent of the performer or performers involved - 

(1) fixes the sounds or sounds and images of a live
musical performance in a copy or phonorecord, or
reproduces copies or phonorecords of such a
performance from an unauthorized fixation,

(2) transmits or otherwise communicates to the public
the sounds or sounds and images of a live musical
performance, or

(3) distributes or offers to distribute, sells or
offers to sell, rents or offers to rent, or traffics
in any copy or phonorecord fixed as described in
paragraph (1), regardless of whether the fixations
occurred in the United States,

shall be subject to the remedies provided in sections
502 through 505, to the same extent as an infringer of
copyright.


But it's never stopped me. :-)

-- 
Jeff