Although now it seems pretty much standard practice for invisible records to rip off their artists, genesis was one of the first who had to experience their tactics
what follows is his thoughts on the dissoultion of the partnership and the Origin of the species volume 3 disc originally posted on the "next new way on" version of http://www.genesisp-orridge.com/ circa sept/october 2002
PLEASE DO NOT BUY THIS CD IT IS NOT AN OFFICIAL RELEASE:
"ORIGIN OF THE SPECIES VOLUME 3"
WITHOUT PREJUDICE: WAY BACK IN 1995 WHAT WAS PSYCHIC TV began a licensing deal with Invisible Records. Obviously this included the legal obligation of that label to pay Royalties both on sales, and to pay what are known as Mechanical Publishing ( a certain amount must be paid for every single copy pressed whether it is sold or not). In 2001 it became apparent that 6 years had passed without accounting or any payment. Payment and accounts were requested but never received. Appropriate legal noticve was iven that this inevitably nullified the contract (it was negated and over). It was believed that as nothing more was heard from Invisible records they had accepted this legal fact. They did not, however, return any masters as obliged. Suddenly, just recently in July, it came to our notice that, despite the legal fact that Invisible had lost ALL rights to any PTV recordings, without prior consultation, and without our consent or knowledge, they released a double CD called "Origin Of The Species Volume 3". Our surprise and feelings of shock were compounded when we noted that several tracks by other artists, over which we do not have any control or rights at this timke, were included on the release: Namely…on CD #1..Track 2. Mistress MixTrack 3. Mistress Mix.Track 5. Glen Meadmore.Track 7. Greedy Beat Syndicate.Track 9. Ecstasy Boys.On CD #2:Track 4. SugardogTrack 5. Mistress Mix.Track 10. Mistress Mix.It was extremely embarassing for us to have to contact all those artists and explain that we had nothing to do with this release, nor did we give our permission for their tracks to be used, any more than wegave permission for ours!At present all parties are either taking legal action against Invisible Records, or are consulting attorneys regarding their position regarding this matter. It saddens us terribly to think that Invisible Records feel it is in any way appropriate to use the recordings of artists without their consent, and with disputed legality in order to exploit a hard won market. A market that exists to a large extent because of our reputation for integrity.We sincerely ask you to inform any and all people you might know who love the music of Psychic TV and friends that this double CD is not condoned or endorsed in any way or form by either Psychic TV or the other artists whose work has been used without their prior knowledge. Do not buy this release. Do not support this kind of unilateral action by a record label.Please also note that the cover is also using a photograph copyright Miss Jackie/PWE Inc without permission in breech of same copyright and that the sleeve notes you usually get are significantly missing, which might well confirm any suspicions you had about this release!WE AT NNWO RESPECTFULLY ASK YOU ALL TO PLEASE DO NOT BUY THIS DOUBLE CD. A BETTER VERSION WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE ASAP IF NECESSARY.
THANK YOU ALL.
what follows is his thoughts on the dissoultion of the partnership and the Origin of the species volume 3 disc originally posted on the "next new way on" version of http://www.genesisp-orridge.com/ circa sept/october 2002
PLEASE DO NOT BUY THIS CD IT IS NOT AN OFFICIAL RELEASE:
"ORIGIN OF THE SPECIES VOLUME 3"
WITHOUT PREJUDICE: WAY BACK IN 1995 WHAT WAS PSYCHIC TV began a licensing deal with Invisible Records. Obviously this included the legal obligation of that label to pay Royalties both on sales, and to pay what are known as Mechanical Publishing ( a certain amount must be paid for every single copy pressed whether it is sold or not). In 2001 it became apparent that 6 years had passed without accounting or any payment. Payment and accounts were requested but never received. Appropriate legal noticve was iven that this inevitably nullified the contract (it was negated and over). It was believed that as nothing more was heard from Invisible records they had accepted this legal fact. They did not, however, return any masters as obliged. Suddenly, just recently in July, it came to our notice that, despite the legal fact that Invisible had lost ALL rights to any PTV recordings, without prior consultation, and without our consent or knowledge, they released a double CD called "Origin Of The Species Volume 3". Our surprise and feelings of shock were compounded when we noted that several tracks by other artists, over which we do not have any control or rights at this timke, were included on the release: Namely…on CD #1..Track 2. Mistress MixTrack 3. Mistress Mix.Track 5. Glen Meadmore.Track 7. Greedy Beat Syndicate.Track 9. Ecstasy Boys.On CD #2:Track 4. SugardogTrack 5. Mistress Mix.Track 10. Mistress Mix.It was extremely embarassing for us to have to contact all those artists and explain that we had nothing to do with this release, nor did we give our permission for their tracks to be used, any more than wegave permission for ours!At present all parties are either taking legal action against Invisible Records, or are consulting attorneys regarding their position regarding this matter. It saddens us terribly to think that Invisible Records feel it is in any way appropriate to use the recordings of artists without their consent, and with disputed legality in order to exploit a hard won market. A market that exists to a large extent because of our reputation for integrity.We sincerely ask you to inform any and all people you might know who love the music of Psychic TV and friends that this double CD is not condoned or endorsed in any way or form by either Psychic TV or the other artists whose work has been used without their prior knowledge. Do not buy this release. Do not support this kind of unilateral action by a record label.Please also note that the cover is also using a photograph copyright Miss Jackie/PWE Inc without permission in breech of same copyright and that the sleeve notes you usually get are significantly missing, which might well confirm any suspicions you had about this release!WE AT NNWO RESPECTFULLY ASK YOU ALL TO PLEASE DO NOT BUY THIS DOUBLE CD. A BETTER VERSION WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE ASAP IF NECESSARY.
THANK YOU ALL.
More from Gen in 2003...
Genesis responds to inquiries about problems with record companies, All this is (c) 2003 by Genesis P. Orridge.
Dearest Ethan and Friends,
Here is the text I wrote about Ian. It is a precis of part of my next book...in the book will be some facsimiles of letters between Sordide Sentimental and myself, a picture of the Paris promoter, a Rob Getton letter etc that illustrate some aspects of the saga...
WITHOUT PREDJUDICE:
...as Invisible Records have never accounted to us for any releases, nor paid any mechanical or other publishing nor any Royalties that might be due we ask that nobody who supports our work ever buy anything purported to be by PTV, myself in Pigface, Splinter Test, Larry Thrasher or any other musical configuration including myself that might be on the Invisible Records label. To this day we are suing over those issues and worse the release after what we believe to be a fully legal termination of our contract of a third volume called ORIGIN OF THE SPECIES which conspicuously has no booklet or sleeve notes. Uses photographs without written permission that are copyright Lady JJaye Breyer P-Orridge on its cover. It also has primarily a bunch of tracks by other artists which they did not give legal permission to Invisible to use and which are NOT PTV tracks combined with other tracks never submitted which are also by people no longer associated with PTV and which neither THEY nor WE ever agreed to, or ever wish to, release!!!!
As the above dispute is at present a legal matter be aware it is our position and no doubt Invisible will present a contradictory one. Therefore, whilst we ardently believe we've been ripped off shamelessly for seven years...some carefully worded precis of the above as a request for people to voluntarily support myself and Larry Thrasher as nusicians and artists by boycotting ANY recordings by us on Invisible Records would be a great favour to us and hopefully enable us to release official and exciting versions of these recordings, AND more important finally get paid our due so we can make new CDs etc.
We have NOT had a budget for a recording studio since 1994...from Cleopatra.
Before that we had no recording studio budget from 1983 until that year 1994. Everything else I personally borrowed money for studio time and/or we used our tour and other income to keep going!
Also, because we were never paid a penny Royalties by Some Bizarre for DREAMS or FORCE (after about $5000 in 1982 from Warner Bros) to this day!!! we never have the budget to sue so its an endless loop.
The only strategy I know left is to ASK our fans to boycott Some BIzarre recordings of PTV and Invisible recordings (theres a HOST of other indies too who never paid but...those 2 are the worst)...
Sorry to rant but it is time people KNEW the real situation.
Alex Fergusson basically left PTV because he was sick of never getting paid for our music by the supposedly friendly indies...
For the "record" we tried ONE business manager with Temple Records...whilst we were in the USA touring a little a making a video for Good Vibes he convinced Rough Trade to give him ALL our income from Godstar! It was about $250,000 at the time...the ONLY time we'd made a real profit. By doing it on our own label. When we sued he'd put it all into a house in his wife's name and declared himself bankrupt. That's the final straw that pissed off Alex. And it made me immensely depressed too. That's the period around 1985-6 when PTV were somewhat shambolic and had a very ad hoc line-up. To this day I don't know where I got the strengtyh to carry on. The 23 live series began as a way to try and survive as a label and band, and as a document as well.
Hey ho...
Djin
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