SMITHTOWN - Musicians irked about copycat acts have found a new audience in suburban Suffolk County.
Lawmakers are considering imposing fines of up to $1,500 on groups that fraudulently perform under other ensembles' name. A hearing has been set for Tuesday.
The concept has caught on in several states as members of oldies groups protest what they consider a form of artistic piracy and even identity theft.
Suffolk County Legislator Cameron Alden said he wanted to help groups that have few rights to and little income from their hit songs, and so depend on live performances.
Groups, in short, like Lenny Cocco and the Chimes, said singer Lenny Cocco. Forty-seven years after the doo-wop group scored a hit with “Once in a While,” Cocco, 70, and his 11-piece band still perform at small shows and parties.
Cocco, who lives in Islip Terrace and pushed for the Suffolk County proposal, said he wasn't aware of any phony Chimes. But he said he wanted to make sure no band could claim an established group's name without including at least one original member.
The county legislature's presiding officer, William Lindsay, said the proposal deserved consideration as a “truth-in-advertising” measure.
In New Jersey, a measure signed into law in May bars groups from advertising and performing under a famous band's name without having at least one original member.
New York lawmakers approved a similar measure in June and have sent it to Gov. Eliot Spitzer for his consideration. It would carry fines of up to $15,000 for “the use of a false, deceptive or misleading affiliation, connection or association between a performing group and a recording group.” There would be some exceptions for tribute bands and bands that include at least one member of the original group whose name is being used.
The concept has caught on in several states as members of oldies groups protest what they consider a form of artistic piracy and even identity theft.
Suffolk County Legislator Cameron Alden said he wanted to help groups that have few rights to and little income from their hit songs, and so depend on live performances.
Groups, in short, like Lenny Cocco and the Chimes, said singer Lenny Cocco. Forty-seven years after the doo-wop group scored a hit with “Once in a While,” Cocco, 70, and his 11-piece band still perform at small shows and parties.
Cocco, who lives in Islip Terrace and pushed for the Suffolk County proposal, said he wasn't aware of any phony Chimes. But he said he wanted to make sure no band could claim an established group's name without including at least one original member.
The county legislature's presiding officer, William Lindsay, said the proposal deserved consideration as a “truth-in-advertising” measure.
In New Jersey, a measure signed into law in May bars groups from advertising and performing under a famous band's name without having at least one original member.
New York lawmakers approved a similar measure in June and have sent it to Gov. Eliot Spitzer for his consideration. It would carry fines of up to $15,000 for “the use of a false, deceptive or misleading affiliation, connection or association between a performing group and a recording group.” There would be some exceptions for tribute bands and bands that include at least one member of the original group whose name is being used.
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