The sounds of silence in Bernal Heights / Tavern owner ends live music after ASCAP suits

The sounds of silence in Bernal Heights / Tavern owner ends live music after ASCAP suits: "The stage at Skip's has been silent since Oct. 1, when owner Bill Courtright pulled the plug after deciding that offering live music wasn't worth the legal trouble it was attracting.

Twice in less than a year, Courtright was sued for copyright infringement by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, which collects royalty payments for copyright holders and represents them in legal disputes.

'I wasn't going to wait for a third lawsuit,' said Courtright, who has owned Skip's since 1990.

As record companies conduct a much-publicized effort to crack down on Internet music downloads, Courtright's bitter legal dispute shows how small- club owners, simply by providing a venue to local musicians, can run afoul of the guardians of copyrighted music."

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