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<strike>The Boss</strike> ASCAP Sues Midtown Bar
By
Jen Carlson
Published Feb 4, 2010
Modified Feb 4, 2010
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By
Jen Carlson
Published Feb 4, 2010
Modified Feb 4, 2010
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[UPDATE BELOW] Here we go again! Bruce Springsteen, barstool musician and voice of the working class, is suing a bar. The Daily News reports that he's the face behind the latest copyright infringement lawsuit.
Allegedly Connolly's Pub on West 45th Street hosted a band in August 2008 that played three Springsteen songs. There was a cover the customers had to pay that night, so someone technically profited from the musician's work. And as we all know by now, if you want to play the music of just about anyone in your establishment (be it over the radio or via a cover band), you're going to need what is a relatively inexpensive annual licensing fee (learn more in our interview with some ASCAP suits from 2007). Connolly's didn't have the $2,700 license (it's even less per year if you don't host bands), and now they face a $30,000 fine.
One musician who plays in a U2 cover band called 2U (uh, clever), says, "It's absurd for him [Springsteen] to go after a little pub when he's selling records and making dough. Bruce doesn't need the $8 a month that he'd get from this band playing at Connolly's." Is The Boss gonna end up being the bad guy here? An ASCAP rep says, “He’s simply a songwriter with rights."
UPDATE: The Boss & Co. have released a statement saying: "In regards to the ASCAP lawsuit against Connolly's Pub and Restaurant, ASCAP was solely responsible for naming Bruce Springsteen as a plaintiff in the lawsuit. Bruce Springsteen had no knowledge of this lawsuit, was not asked if he would participate as a named plaintiff, and would not have agreed to do so if he had been asked. Upon learning of this lawsuit this morning, Bruce Springsteen's representatives demanded the immediate removal of his name from the lawsuit."
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Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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