Agent has emailed mp3 to me from client!

[leelive]

Got a agency job at the weekend.

I was emailed a list of 80+ songs that the guests have requested inadvance for the wedding.

There are 3 songs that are not available for download so I have ordered the original CDs.

But, just in case the CDs do not arrive in time the agent asked the client to provide the tracks!

They have arrived as mp3s in my email this morning.

I have told him that as a legal DJ who earns his living from music I cannot play these unsourced tracks and that I need proof of ownership or the original CD.

I am standing firmly by my perception of the PRS law.... but it makes me seem like a complete jerk!?

Lee

[ppentertainments]

I think you need to return to the real world personally.

[Corabar Steve]

I think you should stick to your guns (not to mention within the law)

Best practice & all that.

[WWDJ]

Got a agency job at the weekend.

I was emailed a list of 80+ songs that the guests have requested inadvance for the wedding.

There are 3 songs that are not available for download so I have ordered the original CDs.

But, just in case the CDs do not arrive in time the agent asked the client to provide the tracks!

They have arrived as mp3s in my email this morning.

I have told him that as a legal DJ who earns his living from music I cannot play these unsourced tracks and that I need proof of ownership or the original CD.

I am standing firmly by my perception of the PRS law.... but it makes me seem like a complete jerk!?

Lee

Hopefully you won't break the speed limit on the way to the gig either

I know i'm going to get shot down for this, my opinion is that the approach is a little too 'jobs-worth'

If you were not trying to source the CD's and getting copied tracks from here there and everywhere then that would be a different matter. This is belt and braces to please the client albeit slightly outside the letter of the law.

[DeckstarDeluxe]

Common sense head on here, you have ordered the cds yourself so I don't really see an issue apart from quality here.

[funkymook]

It's about principles - you either have them or you don't!

I had a similar situation when a client recently handed me a USB stick with some traditional Irish music on it for their wedding - I told them I'd take it as a reference, source the tracks myself and buy them to keep within the law.

There were a couple that I couldn't find - so contacted them and suggested alternatives (same tune, different artist - luckily very easy with traditional music). The client was very happy with this, and in fact the sound quality of my downloads was far superior to their supplied ones which were at 96kbps.

You could also use the sound quality angle to tactfully decline playing their emailed mp3's.

[yourdj]

You could also use the sound quality angle to tactfully decline playing their emailed mp3's.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

I really can't see the problem in this case. You have ordered the CDs, so therefore own the tracks. No-one is going to prosecute you for this Lee.

I really wouldn't want to spoil someone's day by not playing the tracks because of a thing like this. Sometime you need to use a little common sense IMO.

[DJ Jules]

The question is always about where the tracks came from and if they're of sufficient quality. If you can verify that the client has not obtained the tracks illegally (and they're sufficient quality to play) then you're Ok.

If they've got dubious Tags or File names or are 192kbps or less then I'd go back to them using the "Performance Quality" angle

Back in my early days I was handed a USB stick by a kid at a 16th with a load of music they wanted played. It included Lady Gaga's "Just Dance" - this was a full 4 months prior to it's official UK release and I'd never even heard of her!

Julian

[Jonathan Ford]

Generally, there's no way I'd ever entertain something like this, but given you've already bought the music, and the files are of sufficient quality I'd crack on. Hopefully, the CD's will arrive on time to negate the problem.

If someone hands me a USB stick, or an iPhone/iPod or whatever at a gig, I always refuse to connect it to my system.