+++ !!! save VODOO RHYTHM !!! +++ IMPORTANT +++

[tommominollo]

SPENDENAUFRUF Für VOODOO RHYTHM

Hi, diesmal ein etwas seltsames Mail von mir:

Ich habe über die Jahre hinweg zu sehr fairen Bedingungen produziert und den Bands die Produktionen, die sie machten, zum Selbstkostenpreis verkauft. So konnten sie auf ihren Touren ein großes Plus erzielen, denn die Gagen sind ja nicht gerade rosig. Ich habe das damals (leider nicht schriftlich) mit der SUISA so abgesprochen. Jetzt hat sich aber das Blatt gewendet, und die SUISA fordert von Voodoo Rhythm rückwirkend auf alle Produktionen 42'500.- Franken. D.h. die SUISA will von mir Geld für etwas, das schon lange abgeschlossen ist. Und sie will Geld an die Bands auszahlen, das diese eigentlich gar nicht wollen, sie wollen lieber möglichst viele Freiexemplare. Leider kommen wir so bei der SUISA nicht durch und müssen den geforderten Betrag innert 30 Tagen zahlen, ansonsten müssen wir in Erwägung ziehen, Voodoo Rhythm zu schließen – das wäre unser Entscheid, denn für uns ist es unmöglich, so einen hohen Geldbetrag zu bezahlen.

Deshalb rufen wir hiermit zu einer Spenden-Aktion auf. Doch selbst wenn wir das Geld bezahlen könnten, stößt es uns immer noch sauer auf, auch unseren Bands auf dem Label. Ich habe ihnen bereits erzählt, dass ich ihnen in Zukunft keine guten Deals mit Platten zum Selbstkostenpreis mehr machen kann, sie würden anstelle der Platten Geld von der SUISA ausbezahlt bekommen, und alle Bands waren dagegen, vor allem die Amerikaner-Bands, die sowieso kein Geld kriegen würden, da das Geld irgendwo zwischen CH und USA versickert (haben wir alles schon erlebt).



Ich hoffe, Ihr könnt uns helfen, wir wollen nicht, das Voodoo Rhythm aufhören muss und wollen unsere Arbeit weiterführen. Ich bitte Euch, dieses Mail weiterzuleiten und Spenden auf folgendes Konto zu überweisen:

Danke Reverend Beat-Man

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APPEAL FOR FUNDS


Hello, this might be a bit of a strange E-Mail. I have treated bands very fairly since I've started Voodoo Rhythm and have given them their records for cost price so that they could make a solid profit when selling their records on tour (we all know payouts are lousy nowadays). I did approach the SUISA (Copyright Company, musicians' union) and informed them of the nature of my agreement with the bands. Unfortunately I never put it in writing.
Now that is exactly the problem: The SUISA demands payback of a total of 42.500 Swiss Franks (roughly 38.000 US $). Basically they want money for productions that had long been settled. The bitter irony is that bands of course prefer free copies of their album, yet the Suisa is oblivious to this fact and demand the money within 30 days. If we cannot meet their demands we might have to shut down business, since it is completely impossible to for us to raise that kind of money. Therefore we kindly ask for your support. Even if we can pay we will not be able to offer the bands the same deal as before, in spite of the fact that they would much rather get free copies from us as opposed to Suisa money (especially American bands since they don't get any Suisa money at all).

We hope you can help us. We don't want to quit, we want to resume or work and our journey. Plea se transfer funds to the following account and forward this message.

Sincerely,

Reverend Beat-Man



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APPEL DE DONS POUR VOODOO RHYTHM



Bonjour,

Voici un mail un peut spécial de ma part...

J'ai été toute ces années très correcte avec les groupes, en effet, je leurs ai toujours vendu les disques qu'ils ont fait au prix de production, cela leurs a toujours été un grand "plus" vu le petit cachet qu'ils obtiennent lors de leurs tournée. Cela avait été convenu ainsi avec SUISA (malheureusement pas par écris ).Aujourd'hui le vent semble avoir tourné et SUISA réclame rétroactivement à Voodoo Rhythm la somme de 42'500.- pour tout ce qui a été produit jusqu'à ce jour !SUISA réclame en sorte à Voodoo Rhythm la somme que les musiciens ont pus faire en vendant leurs disques aux concerts.Malheureusement ce discours ne passe pas auprès de SUISA, et dois donc payer dans les 30 jours cette facture qui engendrera la faillite et fermeture du label.

C'est pour cela que je vous demande soutien à l'aide vos dons. Quoi qu'il en soit, même si nous parvenons à rassembler et à payer cette somme, l'arête nous restera à tous en travers de la gorge, j'en avais déjà discuté avec les artistes du label sur le fait qu'ils ne pourront à l'avenir plus obtenir les prix de production à l'achat de disques, mais qu'ils recevrons de l'argent de SUISA.

Tous étaient contre ! Surtout les artistes d'outre Atlantique, dont l'argent de la SUISA semble se noyer quelque part en chemin (c'est du vécu !).Nous espérons que vous pouvez nous aider, nous ne voulons pas que Voodoo Rhythm doive mettre la clef sous la porte, nous voulons continuer notre travail.Nous vous prions donc de passer ce mail au maximum de personnes et de nous faire un dons sur ce compte:

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Voodoo Rhythm records
Beat Zeller
Wankdorffeldstrasse 92
3014 Bern
Switzerland
Credit Suisse, Postfach 100,8070 Zürich, Switzerland,
Beat Zeller Account Nr: 149385-20-3
CH0304835014938520003
Clearing number 4835
Swift Code:CRESCHZZ30R ,
BLZ 507
PC KONTO: PC: 80-500-4
paypal: [e-mail]

www. myspace. com/voodoo_rhythm_records
www. voodoorhythm. com

[Tijsco]

We´re organising a benefit in Eindhoven, NL - I´ll post more info asap. date will be probably 19 feb.

[Organ grinder 76]

The situation with the royalties departments just getting worse,i'm really pissed off....one of the biggest and most important labels of the European scene is in big trouble!is time for everyone of us to think about.Companies like Suisa they don't give a F***K bout Music they are not even musicians they are just accountants!!!I really doubt if the money that they get from Musicians,record labels Radio stations ,Night clubs and venue places goes to the right persons..i really doubt if those money shared fairly i can prove that with statistics and facts.I just wonderin'...Does "big" multinational record labels have this kind of treatment.....i hope that all of you know the answer!!!It's a fact that most of the top stuff of "big" multinational record labels are managing directors of those Royalties departments..and this is not an accident event!!!VOODOO RHYTHM AND EVERY INDIE RECORD LABEL HAS TO LIVE!!!!..YOU DIRTY ROBBERS!!!!
LONG LIVE VOODOO RHYTHM!!!!!

[Recordgrooves]

An update about this situation is on the myspace blog.




http://www.myspace.com/voodoo_rhythm_records


Lets hope for the best!

[IDON MINE]

Hey, how about doing something in Vienna/Austria?!?!?!

Damn it, there would be enough clubs to do it!

How about it, ha??

[Tommy Careless]

I like what Kopper said, if every one drops $15-20. That's like a case of beer. I would sure as shit give the Beat Man a case of beer.
~T

[swt]

I posted this on my music blog.

http://steveterrell.blogspot.com/2009/02/voodoo-rhythm-in-trouble.html

And I'll do a Voodoo Rhythm set on my radio show tonight. (Listen live, 10 to midnight US Mountain Time at http://www.ksfr.org.)

[Recordgrooves]

Voodoo Rhythm Records Movie Trailer

[swt]

That's a cool DVD. That's what first turned me on to King Khan.

[Mike]

Threw a few in the gut bucket. Best of luck on your battle to keep one of our fave labels alive.

[Sara]

vive beat man!

[Gringo Starr]

Thanks for your continued support of Voodoo Rhythm Records, everybody! And for any of you close to Bern, Switzerland:

Thanks again,
--Gringo

[Planet Trash]

I have mailed those Suisa people with the question why they are trying to destroy Voodoo Rhythm. Maybe it's a good idea if everybody fills in this contact form at the Suisa website to show them our concerns. You can do that here: http://www.suisa.ch/de/kontakt/ or use this guys e-mailaddress (remove the NO_SPAM from it).

Anyway, here's the answer I got:

Dear JJ

Thanks for your mail concenring Voodoo Rhythm Records. I understand that you are worried about the future of this unique label. However, I can assure you that there's no need to worry.

What has happened? Voodoo Rhythm Records has procuded tenthousands of records without paying copyright royalties. Many of the artists produced by Voodoo Rhythm Records are members of either SUISA or another authors' society. We are obliged by law and contract to collect royalties in a fiduciary capacity on their behalf. We are also obliged to treat all labels the same way, no matter what style of music they produce and how much money they make. We are an authors' society, and compositions and lyrics belong to their authors. Whoever publishes, reproduces, performs, broadcasts or otherwise disseminates a work requires the author’s consent and has the pay a compensation for the use of those works.

The people at VR are aware of the rules of trade and have promised to send all the documents necessary for a settlement of the bill. We are very positive that we will find a solution that serves all parties involved, be it Voodoo Rhythm, its artists or the authors and publishers represented by SUISA.

Best regards,

Martin Wüthrich
Head of Communication
SUISA
Bellariastrasse 82
CH-8038 Zürich
Tel. [phone]
[e-mail]
http://www.suisa.ch

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Hello,

Are you guys ok? What's this stuff about Voodoo Rhythm? You take care of the musical rights of artists by destroying one of the best record labels in the world!? It just doesn't make any sense at all. This way you are not only destroying a record label, you are also destroying the income for many musicians and you are destroying the pleasure of thousands of people who acutually listen to this music and love this music.
Please explain why you want to destroy Voodoo Rhythm Records.

Regards,

JJ