Looking for Linda B. E-mail (1 Viewer)

Status
Not open for further replies.
Hi
I wonder if someone could help me....I need Linda Bukowski's E-mail....

I have made som music and want to use Charles Bukowski's original voice to the music.....

I have contacted Harper/Collins who have the rights, but they say that I have to buy the rights for about 30.000$ - I'm just a tiny musician who not have that kind of money to invest in my music....So now I will try to ask Linda Bukowski directly...!

Can someone out there help me with her mailadress....?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Mocca: I don't want to rain on your parade, but I think she gets requests like this every day. I know I've heard of a few on this Forum. I don't think there's much chance she'll give you or any other unknown musicians free access to Bukowski's words or voice. I imagine at least one person on this forum has her email address, but I doubt he'll give it out. Best of luck with your music.
 
I'm not sure what you hope to achieve by contacting Linda directly. If you can't afford to license the audio through HarperCollins then you can't afford to commercially release the music using Bukowski's voice. If you do it without permission and get popped for copyright violation, you stand to pay much more than 30k. The fact that you asked for permissions first leads me to believe that this is more than a hobby project, so I think you're stuck with the licensing fees.

I don't want to rain on your parade either, but - and I'm only speaking for myself here - I wouldn't be at all interested in hearing music tracks with Bukowski's voice over them, let alone paying money for them. But again, that's just me.
 
Hi,
I agree with everyone here. Contacting Linda will probably ensure that no amount of money will get you the rights. I can't imagine that she would like one more request for free rights. There is a process set up for this. You would need to contact HarperCollins and be ready to pay for the rights.

Even contacting her by snail mail would not work. I don't believe that she entertains granting requests for publishing rights by mail either.

All best,

Bill

p.s. I'm not inplying anything negative by the above statements. It must be a bit much to get SO many requests for something, especially when there is a very appropraite line of action that is in place. If I was her, I would probably get VERY VERY tired of requests. I'm sure that she still gets requests for free books, manuscripts, etc.....
 
I don't want to rain on your parade either, but - and I'm only speaking for myself here - I wouldn't be at all interested in hearing music tracks with Bukowski's voice over them, let alone paying money for them. But again, that's just me.

I couldn't agree more.
And we're the nutbag fans!
Sorry dude.
 
It sounds more like what you want to do would suit a larger work with a large enough budget to accomodate it.
 
I can see I'm among the hardcore fans of Bukowski.... and thats good... :o)

There are a lot of small musicprojects with Bukowski on "the net" who don't got permission to there stuff - But of course - In respect for Bukowski, I will not make my project without permission....!!!

The problem is the money in advance...... The man at HarperCollins said that I could make him an offer and then bring the offer to Linda B., and then see what she would said about that...... I said that I couldn't pay in advance.... and then he gave me his offer (30.000$)
A couple a years ago I made a copy of an old Cole Porter track... I got permission to that, but all rights would go to Cole Porters publisher.....That was okay - He had made the music and the lyrics...

Anothers project was with lyrics by Edgar Allan Poe. In that project I only had rights to the music.....

In both these projects I should not pay in advance.... But if I sold some CD's or if I got airplay in radio.... off course...They should have there share....And they got that.......!!!

I'm not out for free permission. Its the way you make the deal, theres the problem....!

I know a lot of bukowski fans don't like suchs projects....But if there is a kind Bukowski fan out there who could help me with an E-mail or an adress - I would be grateful........... ;-)
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Hi,
It need not be about respect for Bukowksi that you get permission. It should be that you don't want to lose everything to HarperCollins or Linda Bukowski if they decide to sue you! If HarperCollins wants that amount in advance, then that is the verdict. The other people on the net with similar projects may a) have permission b) not have permission. If they have permission, it may be from a movie tie-in. For example, the factotum soundtrack of the soundtrack to the movie "Born Into This". Those last two clearly have permission. The others may not. Should Linda decide to sue any of those not getting permission, there will be hell to pay. US copyright law allows for very, very stiff penalties for willfully violating copyright. This could hit you if not never even sell one. Just producing it and making it available. The possible scenario is you produce it and make it available for sale. You sell a couple hundred dollars worth of CDs. Linda finds out (she has many friends on this forum) and she sues you. When she wins, you could lose tens of thousands of dollars on a judgement. It would be crippling.

There are people here that have Linda's mail and e-mail address. Still, I doubt that they will pass it on. It is nothing personal, but I would not want to be the one that gave it up knowing that it would be ignored by the receipient who will find it an invasion of her privacy, especially since you asked the right person and did not like thieir answer.

Getting the rights to E.A. Poe is easy. As far as I know, he is all public domain. There should be no permission needed to reprint his words. If you read his poem and record it, you would own the copyright. Now if you want to use a recording of William S. Burroughs reading Poe, then you would need to contact the Burroughs people. Cole Porter is probably covered by ASCAP (I'm not as familiar with music), where they are set up to get royalties from airplay. Book publishers are not. They will want the money up front (or know that the project will be a profitable venture) and they know that the CD will not sell and there will be no airplay. They will not grant the rights only to never get a dime (which is what will probably happen). To cover the $30,000 that they say that they want, you would have to sell what, 30,000 copies of the CD? I would be VERY, VERY surprised if you could sell 300 copies and I'm a guy that buys EVERYTHING. Even so, I'm not even interested in Bukowski that I have already heard set to music....

Of the two movie tie in CDs with Bukowski voice overs, I would bet they both lost money. They were released as official movie soundtracks, so they are probably not expected to make money and are more about the movie having a soundtrack.

Sorry to seem like I'm being a pain, but again, you asked and the answer was $30,000. You can't go to Mom, when Dad says "no."

All best,
Bill
 
Hi,
I have a feeling that she has read this forum. I know that she is very concerned withg the legacy of her late huband. What better place to "hear" the buzz than this forum? Maybe she will see your post and contact you. I still think that it is a very small chance, but any chance is better than none.

Bill
 
Anothers project was with lyrics by Edgar Allan Poe. In that project I only had rights to the music.....

Everything Poe wrote is now Public Domain... you can do whatever you want with it INCLUDING putting it to music and copyrighting your version.

<edit> Ooops... I see that Bill already said this... duh. Nevermind.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top