PRS has said that a statement published this week by the songwriters suing the UK collecting society over the way it licenses live shows was “false” and “unfortunately aimed at being deliberately divisive”.
It mainly takes aim at the rights agency involved in that litigation, PACE Rights Management, rather than their songwriter clients, which include Robert Fripp and Jim and William Reid from The Jesus And Mary Chain.
Among other things, their lawsuit criticises the PRS Major Live Concerts Service, which offers an enhanced service to artists performing at venues with a capacity in excess of 5000. PACE and the songwriters argue that PRS shouldn’t be offering a preferential service for superstars.
In a recent legal filing, PRS justified the MLCS by stating that shows at bigger venues “tend to be administered efficiently by professional rightholders, managers and venues with whom PRS has strong working relationships”.
PACE and the songwriters argued that, in that statement, PRS implied that smaller venues, and the managers of artists that play them, are “inefficient” and “unprofessional”. However, PRS insists that, to imply it “made any reference to smaller venues and managers being inefficient” is “utterly untrue”.
“This false narrative has clearly been constructed with the purpose of creating division within the industry which ought to be working together for the benefit of music creators”, it goes on, adding, "We have enormous respect for everyone in the music industry, who work tirelessly to support and provide opportunities for the music creators whom we have the privilege to represent”.
That respect applies equally, PRS says, to “the many individuals working hard every day to ensure that grassroots music venues remain a mainstay in the UK’s music industry” and “the management companies supporting the largest acts”.
The latest communication from PRS, setting out this response, doesn’t go into any detail about the legal battle with PACE, Fripp and the Reids. However, it does conclude by saying, “PRS recognises the need to tailor our support depending on the needs and resources available and is committed to constantly ensuring that our policies and processes balance customer needs with those of our members”.