From The Muse's News
December 2000 Edition
by Jodi Krangle

Looking for a way to get a good summary of the legal information you need to know in order to make the most of your songwriting career? THE MUSICIAN'S GUIDE THROUGH THE LEGAL JUNGLE is one of the best ways I know of to get that overview.

The package consists of two tapes (about 3 hours of information split between the two) and a small booklet that summarizes the information on the tapes. The tapes consist of short opening explanations of what will be discussed, and then a question and answer dialogue going on between the "Artist" (Lynne Reynolds) and the "Expert" (James Chatelain). At the end of each segment (there are five of them), the Expert summarizes the information discussed.

This is really the best of both worlds. You get to sit back and simply use your ears rather than your eyes, but you can also refer to the handy booklet that's included. The booklet contains easy reference charts (for instance, which forms to use for copyright registration depending on the nature of the work, or how long a copyright lasts), resources (websites and contact information for frequently used services such as performing rights organizations and the US Copyright Office), information on what should be in certain legal agreements (for Band Partnership Agreements, Talent Agency Agreements, etc.), a glossary of terms, and more.

Joy has really put something special together here. Not only is the information explained in easily understood terms using specific (if manufactured) examples, but the readers on the tapes speak well, slowly enough to be clearly understood, and made me feel comfortable listening to them. (I swear that James' voice reminds me of the narrator from that really popular Civil War documentary...)

Confused about Copyrights? Don't understand why a Poor Man's Copyright won't hold up in a court of law? Want to know the difference between a mechanical license and a performing rights license? Interested in the legal differences between major record labels and independent labels? Want to know how best to go about retaining a music lawyer, should you need one? There are a whole host of other answers to frequently asked questions on the subject of music law - each one answered succinctly (and without talking down to the audience that would be listening to it, which I feel is very important), then cross-referenced in the small booklet that's included.

It's a portable guide that will give you the basics without requiring you to read a huge tome on the subject. This is one of the best references I've seen on this very confusing topic in YEARS. For $29.95 - less than most printed publications on the subject, I'd say this is a very worthy investment.

From ForeWord Magazine
July 2000
by Edward Morris

Musical performers are not generally known for their fascination with intellectual property laws. That's probably why so many run afoul of them. This listenable guide is a shield to protect performers and songwriters from making the most common legal mistakes. As anyone who makes a living in it will confirm, the music business is business first and art second.

Designed and written by music attorney Butler, The Musician's Guide covers questions about ownership and copyright of songs and recordings; choosing a band name and maintaining rights to it; choosing the best business setup for a musical act; duties and rights of personal managers; business managers and talent agents; advantages and disadvantages of union membership; how record labels and music publishers are organized; negotiating recording and songwriting contracts; and calculating royalties from record sales and other uses of music.

Normally, such arcane fare would be sleep inducing, but this production actually makes it all fascinating by presenting the material through the voices of two narrators, a novice performer and a legal expert. Each segment ends with a quick review.

The accompanying booklet is a treasure in its own right. It summarizes all the points made in the tapes, lists additional reference sources provides useful charts and forms and concludes with a glossary of terms common in music law.

Anyone who aspires to make a living with music can avoid a lot of grief and expense by attending to these tapes.

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From Songwriter's Monthly
June 2000 Edition

This handy, little kit contains two cassette tapes and a booklet. It might not sound like much, but on those cassettes and within those pages you will find the secret to the music business and a whole career's worth of information. The cassettes move at lightspeed as everything from "what is a copyright" to "starting your own publishing company" is covered in concise audio segments.

The key to the success of this kit is simple, it is an easy to follow fictitious conversation - a "musician" asks a "lawyer" questions, and the "lawyer" responds. The only problem you might have is there is too much information to absorb in one session. But that's okay because you can listen to the tapes over and over again until you can answer all the questions about trademark and royalties yourself. Still, if you get a little confused, the booklet is there as a guide so you can check your answers.

Admittedly, the approximate three hours of listening material only begins to scratch the surface of the music industry and it's not meant to be "legal advice," just a guide, but what a guide it is. For all aspiring artists thinking they are going to get rich, author Joy R. Butler, Esq. breaks down royalties and shows you exactly how much money you should expect to receive when you sell 100,000 units.

Highly recommended, this kit is put out by Sashay Communications and it sells for $29.95. Check out your finer book stores and if you're having trouble locating this product, visit www.SashayCommunications.com