Confused again?
What the organiser pays to the band has nothing to do with what the organiser pays to the author's rights organisation. Do you think a cover band would send the money back to Bowie?
In fact, it's the one who benefits from the music who is paying the authors: the organiser.
The band is only benefiting indirectly, not more than the electricity company or the drink provider.
Although, note we are speaking of *revenues*, not *profit*.
It means, even if there are no paying entries, but the organiser sold a lot of drink, he will have to pay something.
In France, if the CD contains at least one song written by someone member of an author's rights organisation, it is illegal not to fill the form (and most companies will refuse to press the CD). So it does not depend whether you're a company or not.
There's both sides to everything. Of course, if you do mostly covers (as a performing musician), you can think it isn't worth filling the form (but you are denying the author's their due).
If you are playing your own songs, you have to balance 10% of the revenues with what is paid to the band (but much later, about a year after), and the likeness that you won't play again if you fill the form.
The organiser is supposed to do it, more than you. The collecting organisation is not going to act against you, it's your organisation! I don't find it annoying to fill the form. A bit childish perhaps, but it's always a nice feeling to receive royalties. Not for the money (at least in my case, given the amounts!), but that makes you a *professional* writer.
Nothing for you. Just the fact that you will not earn anything.
Plenty of organisers try to not report. Some are caught, some not. The penalty (for SACEM) is 10%, as far as I know (which means a total of 20%).
If none of the songs you play (as an organiser) belong to an organisation, either you can report that, claiming you have nothing to pay, or you can declare nothing, and contest the bill if it arrives.
Yes. Such as SoundLiftSoundLift (there are plenty of others). It means Online Music Distribution.
Not really simple to quit, but it can be done. But what offer can be more interesting than a lifetime of royalties?
When you generate royalties. If you tour a lot, this can be quite profitable (sometimes more than what the organiser gives you as a band, because of the drinks, for instance). But you have to be careful about "admission" time (in some organisations, it can be up to one year).
No, only members benefit (quite normal). In the case of SACEM, they will keep the money for some time (up to 3 years, I believe), just in case the lyricist becomes a member afterward. After that, the money goes to the "common pool", which in fact benefit the known artists.
Didier