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Finance & Business
Pensions & Insurance
Longer copyrights boost rock and roll pensions
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Rock and rollers from the 1960s would have rather died than grow old. But that didn't always happen. A controversial extension of copyrights by the European Parliament will enable rock veterans to pick the fruits of their music well into their old age.'Livin' Doll' and 'The Twist' are just a couple of the great hits from the Sixties that will be affected. The authors are protected by copyright for decades after their deaths. But that does not apply to the people who played the music. People like Buddy Savitt, who plays the saxophone in 'The Twist'. Or Cliff Richard, who sang 'Livin' Doll' but did not write it.
Only source of income
They do receive royalties if their songs are played on the radio. But the royalties stop after 50 years. Which for many is going to happen very soon.
Peter Koelewiijn"Back then you never thought about it," says Dutch rock veteran Peter Koelewijn, whose 'Kom van het dak af' was covered in Swedish by Egon Kjerrman.
"I remember getting my very first contract with Phonogram. The manager told me: Peter, you should sign up with us, otherwise you will miss out on a pension! But when you are 25, 26, that's the last thing on your mind. Now things are different. I've been drawing a state pension for the last three years."
Photo: Peter Koelewijn in 1963, photographer unknown, via Holland Rocks
Campaign
In 1965, Who lead singer Roger Daltrey sang the words "I hope I die before I get old" in 'My Generation'. This year he will reach pension age.
Together with Cliff Richard, Daltrey has been campaigning recently to extend the copyright on music recordings.
The British government didn't listen, but European Commissioner for Internal Markets Charlie McCreevy did. Last year he suggested almost doubling the length of time copyright applies from 50 to 95 years.
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