No Dark Sarcasm
Any artist who has ever worked for free will tell you that there are a lot of non-monetary forms of compensation that are quite nice. There’s experience, exposure, just being part of something truly historic, and getting to work with great people.
Few of them, however, are as nice as getting paid for what you do.
A group of former pupils at a London comprehensive school are poised to win thousands of pounds in unpaid royalties for singing on Pink Floyd’s classic Another Brick In The Wall 25 years ago.The pupils from the 1979 fourthform music class at Islington Green School secretly recorded vocals after their teacher was approached by the band’s management.
Now the 23 ex-pupils are suing for overdue session musician royalties, taking advantage of the Copyright Act 1997 to claim a percentage of the money from broadcasts.
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Peter Thorpe, who sang on the single, told friends: “We were just taken to the studios and it was great fun. I didn’t realise royalties were owed and I’m very glad to be in a position to claim them.”
Fun, yes. In the name of art, yes. To be part of one of the greatest albums ever released, yes. But if I were owed a check, I would want that, as well.