Questions abput the soundtrack (copyright)

[Blues Control]

Hi Community

I hope I´m right here:

Of course I´m a big fan of TTD and espacially of the soundtrack. About a year ago I´ve founded Jazz/Blues-Band with some of my friends and i had the idea to play some of the songs.
But Chris Sawyer sys on his homepage:

These music files are protected by copyright - You can only use them for personal use and only if you own the full Transport Tycoon Deluxe package

source: http://www.chrissawyergames.com/faq2.htm

I own the german Windows-Version of Transport Tycoon Deluxe, but if we play these songs in publicity, I dont youse them for personal use.

Now i hope somebody can help me to find out what i have to do, to be allowed to play these songs with my band.
If i had an email address of Chris saywer or microprose i would ask them but i cant find on on the web.

To show you what i want to do, here is an preview of our band , practising "Hard Drivin"
(its one of our first records, so im sorry for the quality)

http://bluescontrol.bplaced.net/filesd/hard_drivin.mp3

[CommanderZ]

My (unqualified quess) is, that nobody can prevent you from covering a song. There are thousands of cover songs made by even the most popular artists around. If covering a song was illegal, they could sue you for singing the song on the street.

[PikkaBird]

Sounds good.

Microprose has been defunct for many years, so you're not going to get hold of them.

You could try asking Chris Saywer (via marjacq) or John Broomhall about performance licencing, but if you're not actually recording and publishing, I'd be tempted to just wing it.

[PikkaBird]

My (unqualified quess) is, that nobody can prevent you from covering a song. There are thousands of cover songs made by even the most popular artists around. If covering a song was illegal, they could sue you for singing the song on the street.

Your unqualified guess is completely wrong. Songs, not just recordings, are covered by copyright, and people can and have been sued for "singing the song on the street".

[audigex]

It doesn't happen very often though. You'd have to be pretty anal to sue someone for singing something written 16 years ago.

Covering a song is generally accepted as being a reasonable use (note I avoid the phrase "fair use" - that's something else entirely) and you'll amost certainly not come to any grief.

[PikkaBird]

Covering a song is generally accepted as being a reasonable use and you'll amost certainly not come to any grief.

And you say this based on what? Bearing in mind that people have gotten C&D letters for 10-second clips of their children singing along to songs on youtube.

[XeryusTC]

Covering a song is generally accepted as being a reasonable use (note I avoid the phrase "fair use" - that's something else entirely) and you'll amost certainly not come to any grief.

It is OK if you ask first and pay royalties on every copy sold and a royalty for just covering too. The Verve went bust because they had to pay more royalties on Bittersweet Symphonies per copy sold than they actually earned on it.