The Musicians' Union (MU) , and British Phonographic Industry (BPI) have thrashed out new terms for session musicians, simplifying the red tape around studio and live sessions and setting a new standard for fees paid by labels and groups engaging session players.
Effective from today (1 June), the ‘new agreement’ (notice that it isn’t called ‘new deal’) will replace the three separate previous agreements and aims to ensure that all players receive a fee equivalent to £40 an hour and additional fees for playing more than one instrument. MU General Secretary John Smith said: “It represents a new way of working and we hope that it will lead to increased employment in this valuable sector as well as helping to showcase British musicians as amongst the best in the world”.
The reshuffle will also look towards offering labels greater certainty in troubled times with a broader package of consents in advance from studio players and the option of making an audio-visual recording of a session and using it promotionally for no additional fee.
The agreement also changes certain rules in the live sector, stipulating a £45 fee payable in addition to performance fees where musicians perform in a live show and non-commercial use is made of their recorded performances. Musicians will also retain the right to negotiate a further fee if commercial use is made of such live recordings.
BPI Chief Executive Geoff Taylor said: “The New Agreement delivers greater payments to UK musicians in return for more flexible rights for UK labels, which will make it easier to commercialise recordings in the digital environment”.
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