Mobile Disco

Yes!
The license is crap and does not serve my fellow DJ friends or my interests at all.
Mastermix need a kick in the pants for letting down the people who supported them.
Idiots.

Posted by: Simon | Tuesday, 17 January 2006

YES
Why should DJs pay over the odds for a license that is rubbish. I bet CD users will be next. The whole thing stinks.

Posted by: David | Tuesday, 17 January 2006

Yes, this country is rapidly becoming a joke. Already we have copyright laws which are outdated and have simply not been tailored to include new (and ever changing) technology.

I wonder how many of those individuals enforcing this white elephant have actually spent time at a gig, searching through several boxes of CD's to find an elusive track - time which could be better employed doing what we do best, ENTERTAINING.

Along comes a faster, more flexible way of archiving our material, and surprise, surprise along come the powers that be declaring it illegal, and stinging us for a nice fat wad of cash to continue to enjoy the flexibility it affords. What was the old saying? "What you don't understand frightens you" - perhaps this applies here?. Maybe those pulling the strings are scared of technology?, they certainly don't seem to be embracing it.

In the US, it has been legal to create one copy in another format of your ORIGINAL recordings for back up purposes. It's called the Home Recording Act 1992, and is part of a fair use policy written into their copyright. It shouldn't come as any surprise to any of you, that there is nothing FAIR written into UK copyright laws, but then why change the habit of a lifetime.

If such a change in law occured in France, they would be blockading ports by lunchtime. However, no doubt that PPL decided that in typical British manner we would just accept our lot, pay up and get on with it.

There are people who are working on resolving this amicably and fairly, hopefully these people have the interests of DJ's at the forefront of their minds and not any ideas of Eliteism or self betterment. However I guess it's safe to say that PPL just don't play fair, so perhaps it is time for a DJ-Wide boycott of certain products and services related to this farce?.

Don't forget to visit our blog at http://blog-community.net/mobile_disco/

Posted by: Chris | Tuesday, 17 January 2006

YES!

I shall certainly be boycotting this joke of a license. Two hundred pounds is a LOT of money to me, especially seeing as I do a lot of free DJ'ing work.

I've already paid over the odds to buy the bloody music in this country, so I'm sorry but if someone thinks they can tell me how I can store and access it then they can keep trying to tell me all the way through the courts.

I'm all for any action against this joke of a license that my fellow DJ's can suggest. It's about time we stopped allowing ourselves to be taken for a ride!

Posted by: Markus | Wednesday, 18 January 2006

I'm 15 and have been DJing for two years and can not purchase the Digital License as I am under age.
So how can PPL enforce this on DJs under 18???
It's totally thick to produce a license that is so unfair. My elder brother uses the same decks and laptop for DJing but I wouldn't be allowed to use the laptop under the rules of the license.
Why don't PPL go away for a couple of years and research the market they are attempting to tap.
Fools!!!!

Posted by: Sarah | Wednesday, 18 January 2006

If I have downloaded tracks and I have the licence from Itune or wherever to copy to my laptop or ipod, why do I have to buy a £200 licence from PPL to do what I have already paid for? Their argument that the download licence doesn't cover public performance is nonsense as you don't need a PPL licence at all for domestic parties, which is all I do, but it seems you do need a DDJ one for everything.

Sounds like extortion to me. BOYCOTT!!!

Posted by: Kelvin | Thursday, 19 January 2006

Buy it! I did. It costs between 1 and 2 gigs dosh and really, really not worth the fuss.

Its not 100% perfect for 100% of my gigs, but it puts me a further step in the right direction, and one step further away from the undercutting beermoney boys.

I probably wont buy the MCSP offering, or renew the ppl licence next year as I dont think that pcs, laptops or windows can match the reliability of a proper and professional DJ mixer and cd players, so I'll ditch the laptop next year and just play my original CDs.

Posted by: Steven | Sunday, 29 January 2006

Yes, it's complete tosh.

Absolutely utterly pointless without the SG6 dubbling licence and marketed incorrectly to make people think that all those tracks they've downloaded off Kazaa will instantly make them legal.

I wouldn't even use the licence as loo paper.

Unfortunately, a lot of venue's who have been scared by it are now asking DJ's for a copy of their licence. Shouldn't they be more interested in making sure we have PLI and PAT certs that actually mean something?

Posted by: Ian Forest | Tuesday, 31 January 2006

The digital license is unfair to introduce because DJs wish to use digital technology.

Probably the biggest flouted law in the UK is copying of music. Anyone who has the means can easily copy music be it via a PC, i-pod or games console, so why should DJs be a target?

If everyone was targeted......the only way to do this is by introducing a duty / levy on recordable media, including devices such as mp3 players and hard drives.

If you want to copy music to a CDR, DVDR or DAT or Mini Disc or HDDVDR or Blue Laser Recordable (whatever) - pay for it but in a common sense approach.
The amounts do not have to be that high for the likes of the PPL and the MCPS to have fair distribution for those represented in the music industry.

And the idea is not silly. Look across the pond and our Canadian and US friends are already doing it.

Anyone complained to the OFT about the PPL Digital DJ License yet?!

Posted by: Mr PPL 'Fingers in my ears' | Wednesday, 08 February 2006

Have looked at the Canadian system. Can't see why the UK can't do the same. Makes sense.

What is OFT?

Posted by: Peter S | Wednesday, 08 February 2006

The OFT - Office of Fair Trading

Info

For all general enquiries about the OFT, and guidance on whom to contact for competition complaints and enquiries, please contact OFT Enquiries on 08457 22 44 99, or email enquiries@oft.gov.uk.

Calls to our 0845 number are charged at no more than four pence per minute from a BT landline. Call charges from other landline providers or mobile phones may vary. Please check the rate with your phone provider.

You can also contact OFT Enquiries through our switchboard on 020 7211 8000.

For merger enquiries, contact 020 7211 8915 / 8917 / 8918.

If you suspect a cartel is in operation, contact the cartels hotline on 020 7211 8888.

The Competition Enforcement (CE) Division of the OFT plays a key role:

enforcing current legislation including the Competition Act 1998 and the Enterprise Act 2002
stopping cartels and other damaging anti-competitive agreements
stopping any abuse of a dominant market position
promoting a strong competitive culture across a wide range of markets
informing business, through a widespread education programme, about changes in legislation.
working with the European Commission on EC cases.
Director of Competition Enforcement
Vincent Smith
vincent.smith@oft.gsi.gov.uk
020 7211 8362
020 7211 8700 (fax)

Special Assistant to Vincent Smith
and Head of Divisional Management Unit
Miriam Lewis
020 7211 8909
020 7211 8700 (fax)

Posted by: Mr PPL 'Fingers in my ears' | Wednesday, 08 February 2006

Cheers mr ppl !!!

Posted by: Peter S | Wednesday, 08 February 2006

There's absolutely no way you could slap a tax on recordable media. Imagine the scenario at PC World...

Gimp: Will you be recording audio onto this CD/HDD/DVD sir?
You: Yes
Gimp: Excellent, that'll be an extra £5 sir
You: I don't think so

or

Gimp: Will you be recording audio onto this CD/HDD/DVD sir?
You: No!
Gimp: Ok, that'll be £whatever
You: Excellent!

Not everyone uses recordable media for archiving/storing audio.

That system would never ever work.

Posted by: Ian Forest | Wednesday, 08 February 2006

PPL Licence I believe isn't required by DJ's when performing famil functions birthdays, weddings etc.

DDL Licence for Laptops ok fair enough when speaking with the nice people at PPL and asked them "what about this or that track on my laptop that I have from a CD that I don't have anymore and cant prove to you that I didnt download it ilegally" they're response "we'll have to take your word for it" !

So in that respect a pubs PPL licence covers them for playing music from behind the bar and jukebox etc ? what if the jukebox is a PC Sillverball touchscreen job just like the one in the pub i work at the weekend its a pc a hardrive and usues the same technoligy to deliver the output ontop of their PPL Licence does the pub also require said digital licence for the PC jukebox ?

Posted by: John Irwin | Wednesday, 08 February 2006

Hi Ian

I'll attempt to expand my point above and add a few extra comments!

Lifted from CDR TAX site:

The US and the Canadians already have a levy in place. I believe the Canadian one has been operating since 1998.

In the United States, a distinction is made between "consumer digital audio" media and data media. You have to pay extra for consumer audio CD-R blanks and DAT tapes, and the music recording industry gets a piece on the assumption that the media will be used to hold commercially recorded material.

Canada has gone a step farther, by placing a levy upon *all* media capable of storing audio. Even the "data" CD-R blanks, which don't work in consumer audio CD-recordable decks, are subject to the levy.


Ok, there would be initial uproar, but the actual costs imposed do not need to be that high to generate revenue to be fairly distributed via the collection agencies.

A couple of quid on blank media packs, £5 - £6 on HDD or mp3 players, whatever!
Levels the playing field a little better than targeting one specific sector of the industry, no?

As much as PPL will state that their license is serving who they represent, it is purely a money generating product unfit to market. 'We' are the cash-cows in their eyes and guess who's gonna get a milking?!
It will kill off our industry in the end.
It will drive competitive wedge's among DJs (already started apparently)

Anyway, all those DJ members of the Musicians Union who sought cheap PLI got half the benefits of membership! LOL!
Where are the MU reps fighting their own members corner?
I would guess that as much as the MU are in the pocket of PPL, nobody at PPL had the sense to run a draft license to the MU legal office!

It's about time the MU members kicked the UNION and reminded them via the regional chapters / offices that the DDJL is unfair, unjust, unworkable and anti-competitive.

Ok, the MU have a shitty process but regional members would need to lodge 'motions' (regional branch member motion) exceeding 20 members to make any real impact at a meeting. They will not accept one tabled motion representing 20 members?! They would have to do something if more than 2 regions started rattling cages! But it would also depend on the 'motion set' too! LOL!
DJs can get PLI elsewhere you know...........

Posted by: Mr PPL 'Fingers In My Ears' | Wednesday, 08 February 2006

MCPS are introducing their DJ license now!!!

Guess who are advising them?

M A S T E R M I X

Every DJ in the UK has now been sold down the river.

Posted by: Simon | Thursday, 09 February 2006

I hear that DDJL Licence from Mastermix is more exspensive than getting it direct from the PPL people not that £200 is cheap (and I'm not cracking the wallet open just yet).

What about all these people that whip em off the old HD and onto their respective MP3 players and the cars that are rolling out that support MP3's ?

Posted by: Richard | Friday, 10 February 2006

YES! YES! YES! I'm against the ppl DDJL for lots of reasons but I think DJs should boycott mastermix too.

It's not a 'DJ' license at all. It's based on ideas and suggestions from Jive Bunny.

Muppets.

Posted by: Craig | Friday, 10 February 2006

Yes I'm against the license but I don't use a laptop. If this license is allowed to carry on being sold, there is nothing to stop the PPL in targeting CD users with a stupid license, or the PRS getting greedy either. I'm not against the bands and songwriters getting fair royalties but you can't have just ONE license aimed at DJs, there has to be a fair use license for all which is affordable in the general levels of the real world and not in the Pete Tong levels. In fact, Pete Tong should be standing up and raising awareness on behalf of all Djs (as an icon) to the PPL that we think the license is stupid and unfair.

Posted by: Tizzy | Sunday, 12 February 2006

So should the Musicians Union LOL!

Posted by: Mr PPL 'Fingers In My Ears' | Monday, 13 February 2006

The license can not be enforced so why buy it?
Yes, boycott the fat cats in the fast cars and the swanky pads! LOL!

Posted by: Tony | Monday, 13 February 2006

Why bocott Mastermix? The ppl need to be told that the license currently on offer does not work. Period.
I agree that a fair use license would be better.

Posted by: Pitchmaster | Tuesday, 14 February 2006

The digital dj license is a license to get your contact details and revenue.
Now that MCPS are jumping on the band wagon its only a matter of time before they target other music formats like CD and vinyl.
Where are the supporters and champions of the DJ world fighting this?
The likes of Radio DJs and Pete Tong, Dave Pearce, Norman Cook, etc don't give a toss because they can afford the likes of any license thrown at them.
Can all club mobile and student DJs afford solicitors to fight this let alone purchase it every year?
Nothing will stop the MCPS and PPL charging extra every year either.
You don't have to buy the bloody license.

Posted by: Bobby | Wednesday, 15 February 2006

I agree with the comment from Bobby.

Posted by: Tizzy | Wednesday, 15 February 2006

All I want is a license that allows me to be legal in what I do. I'm a DJ and that's all I want to do.

Posted by: Dave | Thursday, 16 February 2006

I don't like the idea of a License but if I want to use a laptop like the other djs then I'll want to be legal.
But I don't see why I should have to pay the same amount again the following year as I've already ripped my discs and I'm not going to download all my music again because all the tracks I want to use are unavailable on the download sites.
For now, I just carry on and use discs.

Posted by: Todger | Friday, 17 February 2006

BOYCOTT

Posted by: crazyman | Friday, 17 February 2006

BOYCOTT

Posted by: Tizzy | Friday, 17 February 2006

I agree with several comment above, Dj's have always supported Mastermix and now they have turned around and kicked them in the teeth. Well, it's easy to voice your contempt, don't buy their products!.

Posted by: James | Friday, 17 February 2006

MCPS are planning to introduce their license based on the PPL's.
Both License's would cost the DJ around £400 (annual fee).
You can send your views about the proposed license direct to the mcps via djlicense@mcps.co.uk

Posted by: Dan | Saturday, 18 February 2006

i've never read such a load of old tosh. only idiots buy the licence because they are told to. get real you brain dead sheep. stuff the licence and the ppl. the prs already get paid royalties, the artists are getting paid so why pay a third time? if nobody purchased the licence there wouldn't be a discussion.

Posted by: TDK | Monday, 20 February 2006

All very well saying that but the PPL have already introduced the License. Its law. You think we should all stop buying tax discs for the car? I understand you are upset. Well so are a lot of us! But like I said before, I just want to be legal. Nobody wants to buy it.

Posted by: Dave | Monday, 20 February 2006

SO DON'T BUY IT!

Posted by: TDK | Monday, 20 February 2006

Boycott the PPL.

Posted by: Paul L | Monday, 20 February 2006

I say Boycott mastermix

Posted by: Jem | Tuesday, 21 February 2006

The digital dj licence is OTT. Why should DJs pick up the tab when it is a well known fact thousands of users online sell bootleg pirated material.

Posted by: Gary | Tuesday, 21 February 2006

True

Posted by: Dave | Wednesday, 22 February 2006

I will not be buying the license either. We should all stick to CDs and vinyl. Fuck the PPL for a twat idea in the first place.

Posted by: Paul L | Wednesday, 22 February 2006

there are so many associations jumping on the bandwagon and saying they will fight for the rights of Dj's against the PPL goliath, however how can they profess to represent DJ's when the majority of DJ's do not want this licence implemented at all. My vote and support goes to the first association or working party which has the balls to stand up and be counted and will actively fight against the licence rather than rolling over for the PPL and saying 'how much'

Posted by: Richard | Thursday, 23 February 2006

Well said mate!

Posted by: Paul L | Thursday, 23 February 2006

Richard said:
there are so many associations jumping on the bandwagon and saying they will fight for the rights of Dj's against the PPL goliath, however how can they profess to represent DJ's when the majority of DJ's do not want this licence implemented at all. My vote and support goes to the first association or working party which has the balls to stand up and be counted and will actively fight against the licence rather than rolling over for the PPL and saying 'how much'

Yes, the PPL are big or 'a goliath' as you put it. I'm sorry Mr Richard, but I am a member of an association that has worked hard to work with the PPL and fight for a license that is better serving. PPL will not let the idea of a license go away so I applaud the whole party having the balls to stand up and represent the many faceless and silent (including you and I) majority on issues that the Digital DJ License raised.
I agree that many Djs are against the license but it is UK law.
I fail to see why Djs are against paying a fee to transfer music formats?
You don't have too buy a license if you stick to CD or vinyl anyway.

As for boycotting Mastermix, yep, why not! Their current discs are novelty and shite. They never used to be but alas, they have lost their way.
I'm not against anyone making a fair quid but to take advantage of the PPL license as agents and ADD their own business (crap) service is really taking the piss out of the very people who they rely on for support. They have forgotten who supported their success - DJs.
DMC make sweet F.A. out of the license so why should they attempt?
And to advise the PPL is total b******s too.

If you want something to support Mr Richard, support the boycott mastermix movement!

Posted by: Ian | Monday, 27 February 2006

boycott mastermix shite. dmc is better anyway

Posted by: wiggle | Thursday, 02 March 2006

Once again, the powers that be have found another way of squeezing more pennies out of us. I think this license is deeply unfair. If I have bought the original copy of the music, I think I should be able to freely copy it to any type of media, be it CDR, a hard disk or reel to reel tape! The important point is that the copy will only be used by myself, and it was made from a legitimate source.

Note also that this new license only targets users of PCs - what about the new generation of CD players that support MP3 playback? All illegal apparently, as your mp3s may ONLY be stored on a hard disk, data CDs are not allowed.

Oh, and am I the only one who thinks 20,000 tracks simply isn't enough? If you're one of those specialist jocks who sticks to one genre of music, I'm sure it would suffice, but for most of us, we need to carry a wide selection of music from across the decades AND genres - all of a sudden 20,000 doesn't seem a lot!

It seems unfair that it's just the PC users within the DJ community are being targeted, we're all DJs, we all try to make a living, it shouldn't make a difference what format we play out on. I'd happily pay out for a license that allowed you to play any music in any format, sourced from anywhere. I'm not saying music piracy is a good thing that we should all support, but surely we play a small part in promoting that music to the masses? Just an idea... ;-)

Besides, if the venue has a PPL and all the other gubbins that are required to have music, why do we DJs need one too? It's just moneygrabbing and bullying. It's £200 + VAT this year, how much will it be next year? It'll be too late to boycott it then, as they will have you on their books and will come looking for you if you don't cough up....

Posted by: dj sherz | Monday, 06 March 2006

What are you lot on about?
If you can't afford to be caught, don't copy music!
But if you want to break the law, carry on.
I don't like the law either but I have a choice.
I'll stick to vinyl and the odd CD with the Sun!
No one is holding a gun to your head to buy the license.
If nobody buys the license then they will have to drop it.

Posted by: booty | Monday, 06 March 2006

My point is that it shouldn't be against the law to copy music if you're the only one using the copies.

And yes, they are holding a gun to our heads - if we don't buy the license, most venues will be too scared to touch us.

So we could go back to vinyl and CDs and escape the license fee, for this year at least. But what about all those legitimately downloaded mp3s that I own? I can't burn them to CD, as under the current law that would also be illegal, whether I have a license or not.

Bottom line - forget all this license crap, it's time for a change in copyright law.

Posted by: dj sherz | Monday, 06 March 2006

QUOTE
But what about all those legitimately downloaded mp3s that I own?

You don't need the current license if you downloaded from a legit source! And you can burn a legit source mp3 to CDR in data form too!
But if you downloaded from a p2p file share service - you are classed as a pirate.
You only need the license if you copied from a vinyl to cdr or original cd to cdr because you have changed the FORMAT of the original sound recording, thats all!

The price for the license and the constraints are the con, I am not against the license idea.
If the license was multi-format (cdr, dvdr, mini disc, dat tape, mp3, etc, etc) then great.
They have to drop the silly form submission and the limit on songs, who can operate the gear, digital rights management, silly inspections, etc.
I'll happily pay £40 - £50 each year to PPL and MCPS to allow me to use my own cdr compilations because I see that as a fair price, not £200 each.

Posted by: Tony G | Monday, 06 March 2006

No way am I paying £200 to PPL or MCPS every year for the same used tracks in digital format.
How insane.

Posted by: John | Thursday, 09 March 2006

I agree that the cost of the license is expensive for what you get but what should I do in the meantime?
All my music is on the laptop. Are mastermix/ppl going to refund me the difference if they amend the license?

Posted by: Pitcher | Friday, 10 March 2006

Why don't all the DJs boycott the Mastermix stand at plasa?
:)

Posted by: Mr T | Monday, 13 March 2006

So we are all in agreement that this licence came straight from Satans arse so what are you going to do about it?. Sit whining on other peoples blogs whilst still subscribing to Mastermix?. Wait for the self elected individuals from the NADJ to start fighting against the licence rather than rolling over and embracing it?.

If you are truely against this licence then it is down to you as a Dj to do something about it, stop waiting for other people to do the hard work for you and start helping yourself!. Nobody owes you anything in this lifetime, so wake up and do something FFS!.

First buy your music from the many Jersey CD Suppliers and from non UK legal download sites. This way you prevent the UK Copyright indusry from getting their talons on a percentage of your hard earned dough, after all, you don't want to be paying towards your own demise do you and giving the PPL more funds.

Next isn't it about time some DJ's started replacing the Make Poverty History banners on their websites with a Make the Digital DJ Licence History banner to show the industry that we are united in our fight against this Licence?. Well, there must be somebody reading this blog who can make one!.

Boycott Mastermix products - they sold out the Dj for thirty pieces of silver when they supported this and now deserve to have a taste of their own medicine. If Mastermix are so fucking quick to embrace the digital age where the fuck are their legal downloads?.

Posted by: Diggity | Thursday, 16 March 2006

QUOTE
Next isn't it about time some DJ's started replacing the Make Poverty History banners on their websites with a Make the Digital DJ Licence History banner to show the industry that we are united in our fight against this Licence?. Well, there must be somebody reading this blog who can make one!.

Great idea! I'll happily put a banner on my mobile disco site.
Whos up for it?

Posted by: booty | Friday, 17 March 2006

Well said !

MAKE THE DIGITAL DJ LICENSE HISTORY

Posted by: Craig | Friday, 17 March 2006

or how about MAKE THE DIGITAL DJ LICENSE AND MASTERMIX HISTORY :)
only joking! but its food for thought

Posted by: John | Friday, 17 March 2006

very nice blog.. i ll come back

Posted by: Fleshlight | Friday, 17 March 2006

I thought the digital dj license was aimed at the mobile disco djs, not the club djs. Residency djs are already covered with the club entertainment licence arnt they?

Posted by: Bugsy | Sunday, 19 March 2006

Sorry Bugsy, you are wrong. ALL DJs, not just mobile disco (DJs) who copy original cds to mp3 / vinyl to mp3 need the license.

Posted by: Steve | Sunday, 19 March 2006

You can find all the info here: www.djassociates.org

Posted by: Steve | Monday, 20 March 2006

HOW TO AVOID THE DIGITAL DJ LICENSE FOR CLUB DJS, MOBILE DJS, MIX DJS, ETC:

DON'T BUY THE DIGITAL DJ LICENSE
GO BACK TO ORIGINAL CDS OR VINYL TO PISS OFF PPL AND MCPS

BOTH MASTERMIX WILL LOSE A LOT OF INVESTMENT AND GET REALLY PISSED OFF HA HA

LICENSE COMPLAINTS SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE COPYRIGHT TRIBUNAL

START A PETITION OR SIGN UP TO AN ONLINE PETITION (SEARCH GOOGLE FOR PETITION)

FORGET THE DIGITAL DJ LICENSE FOR NOW AND JUST DJ FFS!

ITS YOUR CHOICE

Posted by: THE STIG | Wednesday, 22 March 2006

HOW TO AVOID THE DIGITAL DJ LICENSE FOR CLUB DJS, MOBILE DJS, MIX DJS, ETC:

DON'T BUY THE DIGITAL DJ LICENSE
GO BACK TO ORIGINAL CDS OR VINYL TO PISS OFF PPL AND MCPS

BOTH MASTERMIX WILL LOSE A LOT OF INVESTMENT AND GET REALLY PISSED OFF HA HA

LICENSE COMPLAINTS SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE COPYRIGHT TRIBUNAL

START A PETITION OR SIGN UP TO AN ONLINE PETITION (SEARCH GOOGLE FOR PETITION)

FORGET THE DIGITAL DJ LICENSE FOR NOW AND JUST DJ FFS!

ITS YOUR CHOICE

Posted by: THE STIG | Wednesday, 22 March 2006

Stig, thats all very well but you are asking mobile and club djs to take a step backwards. We should be looking forwards and using modern technology, not the other way around. i see your point but I think its risky for our industry :)

Posted by: keith | Friday, 24 March 2006

Hi all I am a tattooist for some thirty years, and now retired to france, at the grand age of 52 I fancy myself as a budding dj??
after batteling my way through endless site's selling cheep get rich quick diy Dj kits, i have finerlly settled for a setup i am happy with, so after months of loading all my 35 year colection of music in verious formats on to my pc laptop and entertaining my self locked in a large room at the bottom of the garden with full light show and loud music, i felt i was reddy for the big wide world. then i thorght better see if there are any leagle things i need to know about befor i move on, then i found your site.
F*****k me its the same old thing as the tattoo site's
i frequent?
same arguments just diferent abreviations,
but after reading this list of comments to the very bottom i found evrything in common with the tattoo world. everybody would like to see more done for the good of your profetion,
but knowbody wants the job!

evrybody is a profesinal and should be there for each other the same as the people you think are there to help ie. the people you send your licence fees to, are infact helping themselves to your money, for persons unknown who feel the need to spend your hard erned money in the name of all the people who don't need it ??? (still with me)
the need for you to stick together has never been more important than now if you want to survive. The law is the law??? use it to your advantage try to form a co-op between yourselves put out e-mails and ask your friends to forward it on if you feel so strongly about it use the pc to get your point accross, sooner or later some one will listern??? (I Doubt IT)
good luck
sid!




I.E

Posted by: dj man | Friday, 24 March 2006

[snip]Stig, thats all very well but you are asking mobile and club djs to take a step backwards[/snip]

And I suppose "taxing" new technology with licences not needed or considered by our peers in other countries is embracing the future too?.

Many Dj's I know often run their disco as a hobby alongside existing employment, that doesn't make them any less of a DJ than their professional colleagues however if they only have 5 bookings a year they pay the same for the licence as those who have £30k of bookings. In reality most DJ's don't earn a fortune, it's a residual income, some don't even earn enough to pay tax, so any bite out of that limited profit is a big issue.

Most younger DJ's who have been brought up around computers and laptops and for whom IT plays a big part in their lives, cannot simply afford to pay £230+ a year at the beginning of their DJ'ing career, if they choose a familiar digital route of storing and playing their material. Most kids lives revolve around MP3 Players and Ipods and Computers and I can't see how the kids of those making these laws are any different.

At least with the inland revenue, if you don't make any profit, you pay no tax. With this licence you still have to pay the same fee, every year regardless of your earnings. I never thought I would say this but the inland revenue is actually FAIRER than the PPL!.

If the BBC decided to introduce a higher licence fee for Plasma TV owners compared to those with 14" portables purely because they can, there would be an outcry and every paper would cover the outrage. However just because we are Dj's I suppose that makes it ok.

A similar change in copyright laws was announced in Finland in November 2005 and there was a protest and it made their papers and the result was a stay of execution. Introduce the same laws in the UK, an we bleat like sheep and spend more time argueing about it amongst ourselves than we do protesting to those who are doing the inflicting.

Whilst the DJ using a laptop or PC walks into a venue and immediately gets accosted by the venue management requesting his licence, another DJ walks into a venue with 1000 copied cds from the local car boot sale and is able to carry out his work unchallenged.

Ultimately, the DJ may as well join the only growth industry left in the UK and join the dole and benefits system. I believe that there are many Ebooks available which instruct you on the most effective ways of doing this, and they call cost less than a Digital Dj Licence.

Posted by: chris | Friday, 24 March 2006

Well said

Posted by: Dan | Friday, 24 March 2006

This is insane. Surely by playing the artist's music in clubs they're already getting free publicity from DJs? Who exactly benefits from this license, other than PPL, who seemingly have no connection to the music industry at all?

Posted by: DJ Joel Delusional | Saturday, 25 March 2006

How to destroy the DJ industry = introduce a stupid licence

How to really destroy the DJ industry = let another non DJ write the next stupid licence

Posted by: Gobba | Tuesday, 28 March 2006

I think some people have got the wrong end of the stick with regard to this licence the digital dj licence has nothing to do with playing music in public it is a tax which is forced on you purely for CONVERTING your own original cds to MP3 ffs. So If you convert your cd collection to another format then you need to pay this licence and its not just a one off either, you need to pay annually for as long as you use a laptop, pc or other digital means.

Posted by: diggity | Tuesday, 28 March 2006

Its more than a tax. Its an insult. Lets drive a big message back to the ppl and mastermix and become american DJs!!!

Posted by: red | Thursday, 30 March 2006

No thankyou. The 'yanks' are totally different types of DJ.

Posted by: stylus4 | Friday, 31 March 2006