Thread by @frenchbloke, anyone remember when "True Choice Recordings" tried to release Kraftwerk's 1 and [...]

anyone remember when "True Choice Recordings" tried to release Kraftwerk's 1 and 2 for #RSD2020

they went so far as to buy the domain http://www.truechoicerecordings.com/

and set up some social media

https://www.instagram.com/truechoice_recordings/

if you were to look at the followers, who that account is following and then see who they have in common it's a safe bet that one person is who Kraftwerk should be having a word with.

this was a bonus find during investigating something else.

the same person behind True Choice is also behind Disco Matto which seems to be cloning the digital output of a few specialist Italo labels.

http://www.discomatto.com/

https://www.instagram.com/discomattoooooo/

https://www.beatport.com/label/disco-matto/84130 https://www.traxsource.com/label/49007/disco-matto

Disco Matto

Available for download on Traxsource. Featuring Tracks from Blue Feather feat. Faze Action, Flayer, Valery Allington, Kenny Claiborne & The Armed Gang and more...

http://www.discomatto.com/

Disco Matto were on bandcamp.
https://discomatto.bandcamp.com/

They had their page removed.

this links to a re-issue label that "officially licensed" a lot of things that people pay an arm and a leg for.
They say "officially licensed"
They're not.
more on that when the proper channels have done their bit

anyone familiar with "Machine Gun" by Commodores ?

this might sound familiar then

and yet it's on there, and there and there.

Who is getting the money from all that ?

Not Lionel Richie and friends.

on youtube there are three instances of the same recording all with different phonographic copyright holders and none of which being the ACTUAL recording artist and title.

These were all provided to YouTube by a legal distributor

anyone familiar with the sleazy disco classic that is "Walk the Night" by Skatt Bros ?

You'll know the story of how Rockstar Games licensed it for Grand Theft Auto IV ? https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-grandtheft/grand-theft-auto-simplifies-song-purchasing-idUKN0430077120080505

"Grand Theft Auto" simplifies song purchasing

DENVER (Billboard) - The emerging effort to use videogames as a channel for selling music is entering its next phase with the recent release of "Grand Theft Auto IV."

https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-grandtheft/grand-theft-auto-simplifies-song-purchasing-idUKN0430077120080505

over on https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0802999/soundtrack?ref_=tt_trv_snd it's credited as:
Walk the Night
(uncredited)
by Skatt Brothers
(David Fernandez, Richie Fontana)
Published by Yankee Trax (ASCAP) / Skatt Songs (ASCAP)
Courtesy of The Island Def Jam Music Group under
license from Universal Music Enterprises

Grand Theft Auto IV (Video Game 2008) - IMDb

Grand Theft Auto IV (Video Game 2008) SoundTracks on IMDb: Memorable quotes and exchanges from movies, TV series and more...

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0802999/soundtrack?ref_=tt_trv_snd

so you'd think that the forthcoming #RSD2020 issue of this would be licensed from Universal Music Enterprises ?

Um.

No.

but it's on Bandcamp and #RSD2020 !

well, yes.
Just not officially licensed.

wait a minute...
isn't the man from True Choice also part of the label on Bandcamp that is releasing all these re-issues ?

yes.

it's 75 days since I was asked to look into the activities of a record company that I was completely unaware of.
It's been 75 days of plot twists and turns, involving graphologists, lawyers, several countries, forged documents, the pirate party and The KLF among others

Not saying that the company being looked at was responsible for the appearance of the works of Messers Drummond and Cauty appearing on various legal digital platforms in 2013 via The Orchard Group but K2 Plant Hire were informed.

it also involves registered companies in several countries, one of which has eye opening financials

did I say there were offshoot labels ?

Behold.

Looks legit, no ?

https://discology.digital/labeL/disco_hustle_records/catalog.php?catalog=DHR013

I don't remember it being called this ?

https://discology.digital/labeL/disco_hustle_records/catalog.php?catalog=DHR002

yeah, but it's longer when you license it at 33rpm from the master crackly vinyl

https://discology.digital/labeL/disco_hustle_records/catalog.php?catalog=DHR157

bet you never knew Phil Lynnot had a French sounding pseudonym who released thins pitched down ?

https://discology.digital/labeL/disco_hustle_records/catalog.php?catalog=DHR193

but the master tape has that click at 20 odd seconds too

https://discology.digital/labeL/disco_hustle_records/catalog.php?catalog=DHR233

oh, there's Skatt Bros. again

https://discology.digital/labeL/disco_hustle_records/catalog.php?catalog=DHR042

Here's where it gets interesting

https://discology.digital/labeL/disco_hustle_records/catalog.php?catalog=DHR069

Nepentha - Starry Nite.

Who ?
Exactly.
Nepentha don't exist.

however Crown Heights Affair exist.

hold the bus.
Nepentha is on Spotify, Tidal, Deezer, Apple, Google Play... who is getting the royalties ?

Nepentha are, silly.

anyone remember London Records ?

http://londonrecords.net/

( obviously not the real London Records )

Home Page

http://londonrecords.net/

anyone remember Casablanca Records
- no, not you UMG http://casablancarecordandfilmworks.net/

Home Page

http://casablancarecordandfilmworks.net/

hey, I want to release one of these on my new dodgy label. How much will it cost me ?

350 Euros per track payable to this bank that has excellent reviews...

meanwhile back to True Choice

Prime Direct Distribution were the ones distributing Kraftwerk 1 and 2. Manufacturing would have been handled by MPO in France.
It's not known if any copies were pressed ( mostly as they haven't replied to me )

this ties in with Spaziale Recordings.

Spaziale are distributed by Prime.

Lets just say the licensing on all of their releases is questionable with two of their planned releases being pulled from Prime's listings.
http://www.primedirectdist.co.uk/products/Vinyl/SPZ013/index.html &
http://www.primedirectdist.co.uk/products/Vinyl/SPZ015/index.html

why were they pulled ?
dodgy licensing.

duh

but wait, didn't that other guy from Spaziale say otherwise in an interview ?
"the fact that we actually have rights and paperwork for every single release makes it also fun to scare away certain dodgy figures." https://www.mrbongo.com/blogs/news/digging-deeper-an-interview-with-spaziale-recordings-label-co-founder-stefano-ritteri

Digging Deeper: An interview with 'Spaziale Recordings' label co-founder Stefano Ritteri

https://www.mrbongo.com/blogs/news/digging-deeper-an-interview-with-spaziale-recordings-label-co-founder-stefano-ritteri

well, they do have paperwork

slight problem

well, have a look

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10217223539083740&set=a.1030619848952&type=3&theater

and yes @trevorjofficial that Cor Corora 12" IS, as you suspected, a bootleg.

I've only touched on the part of this that affects non UK artists.

That is another story for when the dust settles

and the pulled pages for the Kraftwerk 1 and 2 releases

http://www.primedirectdist.co.uk/products/Vinyl/TCR0032020/

http://www.primedirectdist.co.uk/products/Vinyl/TCR0042020/

Now, you know when you have a label listed on discogs ? Help me out here a sec, Do you get you your pals and different accounts to boost the ratings ? Or is it just Spaziale ?
(these are the accounts I know about )
Oh look !
Surprise!

True Choice !

at Traxsource and others, do they not check to see if something is already in stock ?

" seen this? "
"hmm, that's the same thing, isn't it ? "
"oh wait, the new one has that logo on the bottom, it's fine..."

lets play SPOT THE BOOTLEG !

and it's not an isolated incident

back at PrimeDirect who seem to have fell for the dodgy paperwork,

“an official remastered limited edition reissue”
“a long awaited fully official remastered reissue”
“an officially licensed, remastered reissue”
“The first officially licensed, re-mastered reissue”

and so on

what does 75 days bring you ?
This much

on a related note, anyone know how to contact Tony Orlando ?

oh yeah, I mentioned the Pirate Party earlier.

you know that distributor "Discology"
it's manager turns up in an old forum post from the Czech Pirate Party regarding the Italian Pirate Party.
https://forum.pirati.cz/viewtopic.php?t=10237
"active member
of FIMI anti-piracy commission"

The author of the Czech Pirate Party post is Marcel Kolaja.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcel_Kolaja
He is Vice President of the European Parliament.

one for the crate diggers out there

this is seriously listed on releases and various digital platforms as "Drums bonus track"

https://discology.digital/labeL/disco_hustle_records/catalog.php?catalog=DHR223 https://www.traxsource.com/track/6340196/drums-bonus-track-original-mix

Drums bonus track (Original Mix) - Drums bonus track

Check it out on Traxsource.

https://discology.digital/labeL/disco_hustle_records/catalog.php?catalog=DHR223

now you might ask, if these are bootlegs why didn't the copyright holders stop it.

some tried - as usual they claim, then the other side counter-claim. After that it's lawyer time.
Sadly not everyone can afford a lawyer to fix this mess.

What kind of lawyer would the counter-claimants hire ? A copyright lawyer ?
One with media and music industry experience ?

about that...

but that lawyer must be really good, they have an address in Harley Street

about that... https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/apr/19/offshore-central-london-curious-case-29-harley-street

Offshore in central London: the curious case of 29 Harley Street | Oliver Bullough

The long read: On a central London street renowned for high-class healthcare sits a property that houses 2,159 companies. Why has this prestigious address been used so many times as a centre for...

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/apr/19/offshore-central-london-curious-case-29-harley-street

if you are a discogs member it's worth a read through the edit history of these

https://www.discogs.com/Moebius-Plank-Neumeier-Pitch-Control-/release/15354508

This for example has the dubious pleasure of being blocked from sale on discogs marketplace before it was even released.

Moebius* - Plank* - Neumeier* - Pitch Control (2020, Vinyl) | Discogs

Label: Spaziale Recordings - SPZ-015 • Format: Vinyl 12

https://www.discogs.com/Moebius-Plank-Neumeier-Pitch-Control-/release/15354508

As mentioned earlier @PrimeDirectDist never got back to me to confirm that Kraftwerk 1 and 2 never made it to manufacture unless there's an Indiana Jones Warehouse with boxes of them somewhere.

Same applies for the two releases which were pulled

Now, you might be thinking where do they license these from?

One officially registered company.
(I say one but there are several companies registered in various countries)

They have a "repertoire" list.

That list has thousands of recordings on it.

Thousands.

When they send out cease and desist notices / DMCAs there's a signature at the bottom. This gets weird quickly.

I have managed to get my hands on several of these and the signature is always slightly different. Nothing weird about that, no two signatures are exactly alike.

But wait, something's not quite right here.
the strokes and curves are ' off '
Why is that ?
Well, To test a theory I made the smaller of the two the same size as the larger one

you see where this is going, don't you ?

They are both identical. But they altered the size to make it look more authentic.

Seriously?
Why ?

fortunately PDF files open in Photoshop and you can see the name of the document creator.

There are Assignment of Copyright documents which this company uses to confirm that they are the legitimate rights holder.
Sadly, these have fooled a lot of people over a long time.
I mean, why would you question a document which to the layman looks authentic ?

Fortunately I have the great Alan Rankine to thank for giving me and the rest of the music management class his old contracts to look over to see which were the good ones and which ones to bin.
The Assignment of Copyright documents are fake.

Going back to the one over at https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10217223539083740&set=a.1030619848952&type=3&theater
That dates from 1982. There are numerous mistakes in it.
There's one from 1987 which suggests that EMI have but one typewriter that they move from London to New York for such occasions.
Or they used the same font.

PDFs have a data trail - often you see the creator, what software they used to create it and so on.
These have the added bonus of being sent through an online fax service, https://www.pamfax.biz/

here's that Assignment of Copyright document
Read it a few times and see if you can spot the mistakes

This claims to be from 1982.
The internet is a marvelous resource. Discogs especially.
So, EMI 1982...

This should be EMI Records Ltd. EMI Records Limited changed after 1965 to EMI Records (The Gramophone Co. Ltd.). It became EMI Records Ltd. from 1973.

Anyone ever sign a contract ?
Sign and print your name, witness signatures ?
they must be on the back of this document.

Now the fun bit.
Look at the bottom section.

"IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed the foregoing instrument on this London day of July 16, 1982"

Read that out loud to yourself.

"on this London day of..."

who says that ? I mean, really ? anyone ?

apparently NOBODY does.

so, what made them put that in ?

They used a template.
Here is a freely available Assignment of Copyright template.
http://hiphopproduction.com/contracts/pdf/copyright_assignment.pdf

now if you look closely where it says " the undersigned has executed the foregoing instrument on this day of 20 ."

It makes perfect sense if you do this :
' the undersigned has executed the foregoing instrument on this 1st day of JULY 20 20 . '

also, where is the company letterhead ? the logo ?

what if I said that the person behind True Choice and Disco Matto, who is also one half of Spaziale Recordings, signs letters from the company they license from as their VP

So you have the Licensee being the Licensor.
Head exploded yet ?

The "repertoire" list has various fields, these are

PPL Recording Id
Band/ Artist Name
Recording Title
(P)Date
(P)Name
Recording Duration
Country of Recording
Country of Commissioning
Content Type
Valid
My Repertoire
Reported Use

When you look at "Reported Use" The data in the tables below are marked either "Yes" or "No".

How many are marked as "Yes" I hear you say ?

2987

( this repertoire list dates from last year and I'm guessing that they've added a lot more this year )

that is 2987 recordings of artists work that these people are licensing to a third party that they are claiming ownership of.

and there are thousands more on their list that they are claiming to own.

I'd like to point out that there are some completely innocent parties involved in all of this @PrimeDirectDist, MPO and http://www.studiomastering.it/ who were acting on the assumption that the paperwork was all above board and perfectly legal.

Studio Mastering - Servizio online restauro audio, mastering e recording2

Studio Mastering è una realtà consolidata nel panorama dell'audio professionale. Con sede a pochi passi da Roma, offre un servizio di mastering audio online

http://www.studiomastering.it/

from their "repertoire"

compare and contrast.
These are from two Assignment of Copyright documents.
One is dated 1982, signed in London.
the other is dated 1987, signed in New York.
Notice anything ?

Meanwhile in cloud cuckoo land, EMI sells off the rights to Kate Bush's " Wuthering Heights"

as we say in Scotland, "Aye, Right"

you'll be glad to know they changed the font for the Island Records document.
Island Records documents in the 80s were really nicely designed. See https://www.eccentricsleevenotes.com/44-rejection-letters?pgid=kbdw4dul-057ea847-d1d4-4cc9-9e6a-ed3688fb5254

So, how did they get the unlicensed music onto YouTube, Spotify, Tidal, Deezer, Amazon, Play...etc ?

They used a combination of
https://www.believemusic.com/
https://www.j-e.com/
http://discology.eu/
http://www.planetrecords.it/en/

Believe Distribution Services

Smart digital and physical distribution and marketing services for music and video artists and labels worldwide

https://www.believemusic.com/

So, what labels have their recordings on this companies list then?
These

each recording is from a label that went bust, was bought by another or simply no longer exists in that form.
This is the way in. The "legal" documents will claim to have come from a time where little or no paper trail exists.
It'll sound vaguely plausible until inspected

Legendary Italo label Disco Magic has had a pile of their recordings "owned" by this company. Disco Magic's catalogue was bought by ZYX. But a document exists to say otherwise. Paper copies of these exist as well and have been used to take recordings from at least one artist

This is what they claim to own from the Disco Magic catalogue.
We'll come to Roberto Lodola's "Marimba Do Mar" in a bit.

Disco Matto had released that despite Best Record already having legally licensed and released it. It was on Bandcamp.

Roberto Lodola, understandably wasn't amused by this and decided to do something about it.

It's since disappeared from various online retailers. But it's still there on @SpotifyUK

Meanwhile back at Disco Hustle
https://discology.digital/labeL/disco_hustle_records/catalog.php?catalog=DHR214
Whereupon they list B.E.F's "Groove Thang" but it's actually " A Baby Called Billy"
It's on at least one compilation album like this.

@martynware

The person behind True Choice and Disco Matto who is one half of Spaziale as well as the VP of the parent company is also behind Male Records.
https://www.discogs.com/label/55417-Male-Records

Male Records was founded by Chico Furlotti whom I hear is not best pleased at this new Male Records appearance.

Male Records

Italian independent electronic music label based in Rome founded by Chicco Furlotti, a former club-DJ and organizer of rave parties in Italy in the second half of Eighties. This is the first italian...

https://www.discogs.com/label/55417-Male-Records

What does a label do when they have 514 copies made but then the rights holders find out and issues a cease and desist which results in the release being removed from the distributor's website ?

1000 copies each of Kraftwerk 1 and 2 exist.
they are apparently in Rome.

This is when I ask if anyone out there knows how to contact @kraftwerk or to let them know that 2000 copies of the bootleg #rsd2020 albums are at an address in Rome (can supply them with the address in question)

so, @PrimeDirectDist what's happening with the 514 copies of the Moebius Plank Neumeier " Pitch Control " 12" that can't be sold due to legal reasons that MPO delivered to you ?

This is Marco Salvatori.
He is True Choice Recordings and currently has the 2000 bootleg Kraftwerk albums that MPO in France sent to him.
( I had photoshop open )

I see some people who work at @SpotifyUK have retweeted this.
Would they care to comment on how easy it is to get unlicensed music on to their platform? And what do they intend to do about the unlicensed music that's still there?

so how easy is it to put someone elses music on @SpotifyUK @amazonmusic @GooglePlayMusic @AppleMusic @Deezer @TIDAL @traxsource @beatport @YouTube etc. without being the actual rights holder ?

Very easy.

Lets have a look at Porn Music "Boogie Nights" ( you know, the one that's actually Commodores "Machine Gun" )

use an aggregator service.
All you have to do is convince them you have the rights to put the music where you want it to go and let them do the hard work for you.
It's also an extra layer to go through if you try and get them removed

so who is the real rights holder of "Machine Gun" by Commodores ?
That would be Universal Music
( using the PPL's Repertoire Search page over at http://repsearch.ppluk.com/ars/faces/pages/audioSearch.jspx )

[the PPL repertoire is open to exploitation by bootleggers who register recordings there]

Back to Spaziale
All of their output so far has been reissues of records that would cost you an eye watering amount if you were to buy them second hand. There's a demand for them. Where there's a demand, there's money waiting.
The more obscure a cult classic it is the better

Added bonus points for the original label it was on no longer existing.
Who is going to check ?
All you need to do is create a fake document saying you are legally entitled to it.
Sell it in shops.
Take the money (not as if the artist will ever see a penny of it)
and repeat

it's unclear if Stefano Ritteri of Spaziale is / was ever aware of what his partner in (actual) crime was doing.
Maybe he is incredibly naive and trusting.
Did he ever stop and think why several of his label releases have been challenged by the artists ?

Once - fair enough.
to have two releases halted before they were released?
to have 514 copies of Moebius Plank Neumeier's "Pitch Control" in the distributors warehouse you can't legally release?
to have Pigbag's "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" stopped before it could be pressed?

"we find ourselves in some sort of battle with people that want to bootleg some of our titles, or they attack us saying that we shouldn’t do this or that release. It can be a pain in the ass, but the fact that we actually have rights and paperwork for every single release"

Ritteri actually said that. https://www.mrbongo.com/blogs/news/digging-deeper-an-interview-with-spaziale-recordings-label-co-founder-stefano-ritteri

Digging Deeper: An interview with 'Spaziale Recordings' label co-founder Stefano Ritteri

https://www.mrbongo.com/blogs/news/digging-deeper-an-interview-with-spaziale-recordings-label-co-founder-stefano-ritteri

So who are the real rights holders of the Spaziale Recordings releases ?

(some of these are best guesses when tracing things gets difficult)
Lets all go to https://spaziale-recordings.bandcamp.com/ and have a look

Spaziale Recordings

https://spaziale-recordings.bandcamp.com/

SPZ-001 John Ozila “Funky Boogie”
What Spaziale say :
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Vogue P.I.P. Copyright (c) – Spaziale Recordings
What it should say :
Warner Chappell and / or Believe Group

only because the Pilooski edit is listed at PPL with Warner Music

SPZ-002 A. Mislayene “Yémma / El Fen”
What Spaziale say :
Phonographic Copyright (p) Stip Record Copyright (c) Spaziale Recordings
What it should say:
possibly Brahim Ounassar and / or Editions Cleopatre.
I say possibly as this is really difficult to track down

SPZ-003 Tumblack “Caraïba”
What Spaziale say :
Phonographic Copyright (p) Island Records Copyright (c) Spaziale Recordings
What it should say :
Island / UMG or Yves Hayat

Island would be the best place to start or via Yves who is the arranger

SPZ-004 Nyrabakiga “Cor Corora”
What Spaziale say :
Phonographic Copyright (p) Backstreet Backlash Records Copyright (c) Backstreet Backlash Records Copyright (c) Spaziale Recordings
What it should say:
Copyright (c) Backstreet Backlash Records Copyright (c) Peter Graute

SPZ-005 Blair “Nightlife / Virgo Princess”
What Spaziale say :
Phonographic Copyright (p) Perryal Productions, Inc. Copyright (c) Spaziale Recordings
What it should say :
UMG

SPZ-006 Stefano Ritteri Featuring Pino Presti “Come Back to Me”
What Spaziale say :
Copyright (c) Spaziale Recordings Recorded At Polygram Studios, Milano
What it should say :
Pino Presti is now aware of this release but so far hasn’t replied

SPZ-007 Exodus “Together Forever”
What Spaziale say :
Copyright (c) Charlotte Amalie Copyright (c) Spaziale Recordings
What is should say:
Wave Music in NYC were last to officially license it - they have been contacted regarding this
PPL list: K7 Music GmbH

SPZ-008 Liaisons Dangereuses “Los Niños Del Parque”
What Spaziale say :
Copyright (c) Spaziale Recordings Phonographic Copyright (p) Roadrunner Productions B.V. Phonographic Copyright (p) Liaisons Dangereuses (2) Published By Wintrup Musik

what it should say:
Soul Sheriff Records
Morr Music,
BMG / Mute Records in the UK

SPZ-009 Skatt Bros. “Walk The Night”
What Spaziale say :
Phonographic Copyright (p) Casablanca Record And Filmworks, Inc. Copyright (c) Casablanca Record And Filmworks, Inc. Copyright (c) Spaziale Recordings
What it should say:
Island / DefJam / Universal

#RSD2020

SPZ-010 Peter Tosh “Buk-In-Hamm Palace”
What Spaziale say :
Phonographic Copyright (p) Musidor B.V. Copyright (c) Spaziale Recordings
What it should say : Parlophone Records Limited

#RSD2020
(009 and 010 are "official" @recordstoreday releases)

SPZ-011 Hamilton Bohannon “Me And The Gang / Let's Start The Dance”
What Spaziale say :
Phonographic Copyright (p) Phonogram, Inc. Copyright (c) Spaziale Recordings
What it should say: UMG

SPZ-012 Don Ray “Body And Soul”
What Spaziale say :
Phonographic Copyright (p) Malligator Records Copyright (c) Spaziale Recordings
what it should say:
Because Music

SPZ-013 Pigbag “Papa's Got A Brand New Pigbag”
What Spaziale say :
Phonographic Copyright (p) Y Records Copyright (c) Spaziale Recordings
what it should say:
Fire Records / Twist and Shout Limited

This release has been cancelled

SPZ-014 Tony Orlando “Don't Let Go”
What Spaziale say :
Copyright (c) Spaziale Recordings Phonographic Copyright (p) Elektra Records
What it should say :

this is tricky, but if anyone knows how to contact Tony Orlando to check...

SPZ-015 Moebius - Plank - Neumeier “Pitch Control”
What Spaziale say :
Copyright (c) Spaziale Recordings
What it should say:
Sky Records

This has been cancelled although copies were manufactured

SPZ-016 Billy Frazier “Billy Who? / The Mind Blower”
What Spaziale say :
[nothing yet as only test pressings have been produced]
What it should say:
Paradise Distribution https://www.paradise-distribution.com/

Spaziale's releases are available to buy in record shops, digitally via all the usual legal places and in all the usual streaming services.

and if you go to Instagram, you can buy copies from a Tom Alemanno who used to say he was Spaziale's Manager.

You can follow @frenchbloke.

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