Not Neighborzly

By the way, who is Brett Benito? You aren't in the band. You know who I am. Who are you really? I am asking Crew to post his serial number from his copyright papers on this blog. While he hates the drama, he says he understands that you have to stand up for what's right. I would love to read what an attorney may have to say about this. Surely there are a few out there who could comment.
— October 12, 2011 6:04 p.m.

Not Neighborzly

Brett - Would you like to see a copy of Jay's copyright papers. If so, how would you like to see them. Instead of getting mad at me, it seems to me like you would demand that Jay show you his copyright papers. It is clear to me that you did not go through this process yourself since you are only mentioning iTunes. Both Crew and Trogisch admit they each contributed to the songwriting of these songs. Of course they both disagree on how much. Jay told me he was disheartened because he simply asked for a good natured, friendly cooperative agreement between each band, where the two bands would simply acknowledge the other band in print on the CD. He says that Trogisch harshly rejected that idea of cooperation. So where is the slander? Your new CD says that the current members of Sunny Rude solely wrote all these songs. Crew says that is not true and he has the copyright papers to prove it. Where is the slander? Is it the word "stealing?" If that is what is upsetting to you, please understand that even if Crew owns the songs by virtue of his copyright status, Sunny Rude can record those songs or any songs they wish. No one can prevent any one else from recording their songs. But if it can be proved in court that he really does have an ownership, it seems to me that it was the fact that you did not list him as a co-writer on your new CD that caused him to use that word. According to your CD label copy, you are saying that he had no part in creating them. I don't think that is true. Did you have copyright papers sent back to you? I don't think so. You are only citing iTunes. Crew actually did the official thing to protect himself, right or wrong. Just because your recording of those songs appeared on such a date, has no bearing at all as to who wrote them. You need to understand that just because you play bass, doesn't mean you can't write songs. Plus you say that just because Jay could write melodies, doesn't it mean he could write lyrics too? Huh? No it doesn't. Plenty of songwriter teams were made up of one lyricist, and one music writer. Jay never said he wrote lyrics. What's your point? I would encourage potential fans of both bands go see them play at both of their shows. I would hope Crew brings his papers with him to prove to anyone who may want to see them.
— October 12, 2011 5:35 p.m.

Not Neighborzly

Either Jay Crew owns the copyright to the songs or he does not. He says he has hard proof that he does. The only thing you can copyright is the melody and the lyrics. The issue isn't who released it first. That's not what Crew said. He said he filed the songs with the copyright office in D.C. first. It doesn't seem that the guys in Sunny D bothered to do that. At any rate, if any of these songs are used on a commercial or a soundtrack or becomes a hit, that's when a court of law would have to sort out the copyright issue. I would agree it is not black and white. Any musician reading this who is facing an issue like this (band breaks up, songwriters go different ways) needs to get legal advice as to how to protect their intellectual property. Crew never claimed that he wrote the lyrics, just most of the melody. The "stealing" word did not come from me. I just quoted somebody. Just because he played bass does not mean he can't write a song. Ever hear of Paul McCartney or Sting.
— October 12, 2011 2:32 p.m.

Tackling Local Radio

Mike Esparza on his website mikeyshow.com noted that he is currently unemployed and that he has no contract with anyone at this time. We hear his negotiations to move his show to a new station fell apart when his longtime colleagues told Mikey they were not interested in working with him anymore. It should be noted that the Mikey Show has in fact done very well in ratings in the last year at KIOZ (#1 18-34). Knowing this, Mikey negotiated with a different station to bring his whole five-person show over to the new station (for a new salary said to be about $1.3-million). That station agreed to this new deal according to insiders. The only problem is that the other four members of Mikey's crew WHO HE HAND PICKED said they would just as soon stay at ROCK 105 without him. This killed the $1.3-million deal. This left Esparza and his "new station" twisting in the wind, since Mikey could not deliver the Mikey Show as promised. The new station didn't want The Mikey Show without the Show, and now there is no $1.3-million deal. So why would all four of these longtime Mikey Show colleagues walk away from more money and a secure job with a number one team? The Mikey Show has been MONEY for a couple years now. Why would ROCK 105 risk losing its hugely successful morning ratings? What do the four Mikey Show teammates and ROCK 105 know that we don't? In this day and age when radio is floundering you absolutely don't mess with a winning formula, so how could this happen? Is it about ego? Is it about mean, abusive behavior? Or is it about something completely different? I am sure we all find out in the next few weeks.
— December 30, 2009 11:13 p.m.

Tackling Local Radio

After deadline had passed it was announced that the three stations would be auctioned off in a rushed "fire sale" auction on January 7, 2010 by the lender, Local Media of America Holdings. It is however assumed that Lynch and his backers would actively participate in any bidding process for the stations, should any other suitors step up. Insiders presume that in this current economy there may not be any other entities who would commit to throw out cash to operate these three radio properties. Insiders say that Lynch and company clearly had some kind of understanding with Evergreen Pacific Partners who oversaw Finest City Broadcasting and who put together the deal to buy the operation rights for the stations in 2005. Calls to Seattle-based venture capital company Evergreen Pacific Partners who arranged the purchase of the three stations in 2005 were not returned, and Lynch did not respond either when the article was written. The Notification of Public Sale, stated that the stations would be auctioned "due to the occurrence of of certain Events of Default." One insider said Finest City had not made any loan payments in a year. The public auction will be 10 a.m. on January 7 at the offices of K&L Gates LLP, 3580 Carmel Mountain Road, Suite 200, San Diego, CA, 92130. ken l
— December 30, 2009 12:26 p.m.

Buck Howdy's on the Case

Steve - Why is it still a secret how much you raised for your charity from last year's Carols by Candlelight? It's been four days since you first blogged on here. I know that you read this since you already blogged to let us know about which of your music websites is used for the recall. Although Make A Wish is a sanctioned non-profit, their fund raiser named Rachel said she would not disclose the amount she got from you last year. I thought the a major reason behind establishing 501C3 groups was to keep things open and honest. You can skate around it somehow because you are not a non-profit. I don't think Make A Wish can not get away with keeping things secret. When I first asked you, you said you couldn't recall how much you raised for them. What's your excuse now? I think Make A Wish and Carols by Candlelight have some 'splaining to do.
— November 15, 2009 1:24 p.m.

Buck Howdy's on the Case

So let's review- A Grammy-nominated local music mogul named Steve Vaus aka Buck Howdy, says he has gotten involved in local politics for the first time because he was fighting "corruption." He responds to this blog when he (rightfully) corrected that we cited the wrong Steve Vaus music website which directs people to support the recall. But where is Steve Vaus now that all these questions arise about his annual fundraising concert which he stages called Carols or Candlelight. We asked him to tell how much he raised for last year's charity and he said he couldn't remember. Now a blogger points out that he has now added to the Carols by Candlelight website that this show is fact not a non-profit group. He has also declined to disclose how much he pays himself to organize and perform at Carols by Candlelight. I suppose he doesn't have to, but if you drape yourself in a charity to get people to cough up $30, $100 or $25,000 "to keep Carols by Candlelight afloat", it seems we have a whole new issue, if that charity may or may not in fact be in the loot loop. If you do donate $25,000 to Steve Vaus to keep Carols by Candlelight afloat, who cashes that check? That would be Steve Vaus. Where does that money eventually go? Apparently he doesn't have to tell us, yet he drapes himself in Make A Wish (last year) or Rady Children's Hospital (this year) to get people to pony up. I would note to some of the bloggers above that (in my opinion only) that this may not be the best forum to air out your feelings about Betty Rexford. Surely it seems that the Rexford haters have some valid points. But, I think those bloggers (and local newspaper reporters) should look into this guy who is spearheading the recall effort who seems to be pandering to people's charitable feelings by asking them to send him checks which he can cash and do with as he pleases, while all the while suggesting that the real charity is supposed to be getting the proceeds. What are those proceeds Steve? There is absolutely nothing wrong with using this recall to promote your own causes. More power to you. But what does it all mean when the Head of the Recall is simultaneously asking people to send in big bucks to benefit the fundraiser that you own, while having none of the accounting or responsibility that you would have if you were a legitimate non-profit. It seems like you have the best of both worlds: You can use a legitimate charity to get people to cough up money to you, but you get to keep the cash without having to report anything. I think I'll start my own holiday singalong. How about Yodells for Yom Kippur. Or maybe Steve you could branch out with Kowpies for Kwanza.
— November 13, 2009 12:05 p.m.

Buck Howdy's on the Case

Dear John78- I did not have an agenda. I was hipped to story this by a reporter for one of the daily newspapers who said Vaus was telling two different stories when he was confronted about whether he doing self-promotion or not. Both the reporter and Poway resident Virginia Hargarten told me Vaus said he had just released two new CDs and then later he said he he hadn't just released them. Coming from a guy who is screaming "corrupt," this is a little odd, don't you think? I don't think this says I have an agenda. I first wrote about Vaus seven years ago during his cowpie days. But I am still waiting to hear how much money was raised for last year's charity, Make A Wish. He told me he didn't remember how much Carols by Candlelight raised when I spoke to him and he has not responded here. Yet Vaus is the guy who promotes the show, books the bands and pays the bills. Hmmmmm. Since he drapes a charity around that annual event and since people pay up to $100 a ticket, I think it would be nice if he told us.
— November 12, 2009 11:14 a.m.

Buck Howdy's on the Case

Steve - I stand corrected. I got the wrong Steve Vaus musical website. It was stevevaus.com not buckhowdy.com. Also, page 1 of the Reader has a picture of Vaus/Howdy and the caption says "Singing cowboy to Poway's mayor: Vamoose!" Rexford is not the mayor. She's a councilwoman. Blogger "askale" above writes: "In fact, the only 'evidence' in this story is that there was a promotion of Carols by Candlelight. But that is a fund-raiser for Rady Children's Hospital -- a very worthy cause. Not surprising the story fails to state how Mr. Vaus benefits by more money being raised for the hospital (a fund raiser he has been involved with for many years before this recall effort)." Those who attend Carols by Candlelight are asked to pay between $30 and $100. Part of the reason people fork out so much dough is because it benefits a charity. Last year's Carols by Candlelight benefitted Make A Wish. Part of the article that got edited out includes the part where I asked you how much money was actually raised for Make A Wish last year. You said "I don't know off the top of my head." You don't remember how much money was raised for your charity last year? Do you not give them a check? It was only 10 or 11 months ago Steve. Maybe now you can tell us. By the way, is Carols by Candlelight a non-profit group? How does that work, Steve?
— November 11, 2009 4:52 p.m.

More Pig-Head Press

Josh - That story on the Irish singer never ran. I did interview him, but it never ran. I interviewed him about his ribald and off-color songs he wrote and I read it to him so he could review it, but it never ran in the Reader. He didn't like the fact that I wrote about his naughty songs when I should have written about his status as an Irish folklore preservationist. You brought this up before about two or three years ago and I said the same thing in response. I called him up and asked him if he wanted to comment on it and he said he did not. Would you like his name? Josh are you serious about misquoting people? How about Barbara who has spent years working the box office at 4th & B and Brick by Brick and Coors Amphitheater etc. She says you absolutely fabricated her quotes in a blurt you wrote that slurred her 4-5 years ago. And then there's Jeff Paskin who called me to complain about the dishonest way you wrote about his house party in La Jolla. Remember that one Josh? Hmmm... Elvin Curtis......who might that be. Gee I don't think I have ever heard of Elvin Curtis! I'm sure it's a real person who is involved in local music. Who are you ElvinCurtis? Because of the nature of the blurts I have written over ten years, some people get upset. When you hoist pig heads on poles at the SDMA and then take them down and shove them in people's faces, it makes an interesting blurt. Then again, if you're the band thrusting the heads, you may not want to read about it. If you look above, the first response from Lee Williams was not that I misrepresented his quotes. (Except of course for the Lord of the Flies/Rings mistake which I corrected). Lee Williams said everything that was quoted.
— September 29, 2009 11:26 p.m.