Photo by left to right/gauche à droite: Asher Lenz, Stephen Skratt, Matthew Tishler.

Three SOCAN members nominated for 2018 Daytime Emmy Awards

Story by Howard Druckman | Friday April 6th, 2018

Three SOCAN members are nominated in the 45th annual Daytime Emmy Awards, to be held Sunday, April 29, 2018, at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California, and streamed on Facebook Live.

The screen composing team of Asher Lenz and Stephen Skratt are nominated in the Outstanding Original Song category, for “Prologue – El Fez’ Song” from Hotel Transylvania The Series, airing on Disney Channel.

Screen composer Matthew Tishler has earned a nomination in the category of Outstanding Music Direction and Composition, for Blaze and the Monster Machines, airing on Nickelodeon. Tishler’s nominated co-composers on the show are Scott Krippayne, Michael Smith, and JP Rende.

SOCAN is proud of our Emmy-nominated members, and we congratulate them on this huge achievement!

Song created at SOCAN BC song camp released on Sony Music Canada

Story by Howard Druckman | Friday April 13th, 2018

Kevvy Maher

Kevvy Maher

SOCAN is pleased and proud that one of the songs created at the second annual “SOCAN on the Island” Song Camp in British Columbia in 2017 is being released today as the debut single for laye, a Quebec-based singer-songwriter signed to Sony Music Canada. The song, “likefck,” was co-written by laye; BC-based Kevvy Maher, whose band Fake Shark is signed to Light Organ Records; and Ontario’s Joel Stouffer, himself signed to Sony/ATV Music Publishing Canada.

The three co-writers created the song together at “SOCAN on the Island,” held Oct. 11-18, 2017, at a remote estate acreage on Pender Island, BC, where 17 participating songwriters and producers created a record 45 songs in one week of collaborative songwriting. This second annual SOCAN invitational West Coast song camp fostered strong collaborative opportunities, not only during the week, but for many future co-writing relationships.

“laye has one of those voices that only comes around once in a blue moon,” says her “likefck” co-writer Joel Stouffer. “On top of that, she’s a super-talented songwriter. “likefck” was one of those songs where the stars aligned, the inspiration was flowing, and everyone in the room was on the same page. I’m super-proud that it’s her first-ever release. Thanks to SOCAN for connecting us, and creating the environment for this song to be created.”

 

Joel Stouffer

Joel Stouffer

“My favourite element in an artist is mystique, and as I got to write more with laye at SOCAN on the Island, I started to realize how layered a person and an artist she is,” says co-writer Kevvy Maher. “She doesn’t show every side of herself right away, because you have to earn it, and when you see it, it’s hard not to fall in love with it. She’s an old soul with a future quality. Young and dangerous.”

SOCAN congratulates laye, Kevvy Maher, and Joel Stouffer on this great accomplishment!

 

Photo by Lindsey Gibeau Photography

Miranda Mulholland addresses Economic Club of Canada

Story by Howard Druckman | Thursday November 23rd, 2017

Musician, entrepreneur and SOCAN member Miranda Mulholland adderssed an Economic Club of Canada luncheon event and panel, “Redefining Success in a Digital Marketplace,” held Nov. 22, 2017, at the Westin Ottawa, co-sponsored with Music Canada.

Mulholland delivered comments on how music creators are faring poorly in the new digital landscape, and suggested new ways forward. Among them were a recommendation that the federal government remove the “safe harbor” provisions for tech companies like YouTube, which she says creates the value gap; that it reverse the ruling that allows major radio stations to pay no royalties on the first $1 million they earn in advertising revenue; that recordings used in TV and film productions be entitled to royalties, the same as music composed specifically for the soundtracks. She argued against the current culture of “permission-less innovation,” undertaken without care for consequences, which only asks “can I?” create the innovation that harms certain parties, but not “should I?”

Before introducing Mulholland, The President of SOCAN’s Board of Directors, Stan Meissner, said that SOCAN continues to outpace the present and anticipate the future as we lead the global transformation of music rights. Meissner talked about how SOCAN advocates and consults with the government on behalf of our members, and how we’re forging new alliances with RightsTech companies such as Muzooka, Songistry, and IBM Watson, to ensure that our members continue to get fair compensation for their hard work in the new digital/streaming environment.

“We’re working to influence effective solutions, to ensure that Canadian songwriters, composers, music publishers, and businesses using music can compete effectively,” said Meissner. “As we move through these challenges we know it’s equally important to continue to identify opportunities to find new revenue streams, and improve upon the current streams.”

At a panel discussion following the speech, screen composer Ari Posner, singer-songwriter Alan Frew (both SOCAN members), and Roanie Levy, President and CEO of Access Copyright, discussed how the digital marketplace has affected their industries and their individual careers.

Posner said that video streaming services have devalued music, just as audio streaming ones have, citing “a 95 to 98 per cent difference from terrestrial television” in royalties received for his work. Frew admitted that as a veteran rocker, he’s “stumbled through” the disruptive technological change in music delivery, urging young songwriters to pay close attention in order to protect their interests, and made a rousing call to action to his fellow music creators, which gained a round of applause. Levy pointed out that the value gap is just as real for a behind-the-scenes songwriter as it is for a recording artist, and that royalties tend to pay for the necessities of life, like mortgage payments or winter tires.

Asked if he had faith in the future, Frew said, “I do, to the extent that we have advocates willing to step up to the plate for us, like Miranda and Stan.”

Music Canada President Graham Henderson concluded the event with a passionate plea to decision-makers to correct the grievous problem that the Value Gap presents to music creators.