Entertainment and media law types Davenport Lyons have produced a beginners guide to all the legal shenanigans that take place in the music world, aiming to provide aspiring artists with a low down on artist management, labels, publishers, copyright and all that stuff. It's all available in a free 33 page booklet (though, technically a 33 page booklet is actually physically impossible) which can be accessed, whilst stocks last, from this catchy URL:
http://www.davenportlyons.com/www/legal_services/ music_entertainment/music_survival_guide_form.htm