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DGA35

280 million album sold?! So worldwide, he's pretty much outsold every band except the Beatles!

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saltoftheearth
Yesterday it was in the news that Eric Clapton sues a woman from Germany for up to 250.000 Euros for the breach of his copyrights and his publishing rights. What happened was that her late husband bought a live CD with an unlicensed live recording (from the series LIVE IN USA) which was offered officially in German Stores for about 10 Euros. I also bought that CD back then, and although it was obvious that it was no official product from the recording company it was one of the 'grey' CDs that were offered back then from many artists in many well-known stores and not secretly under the table or in the backyards.

What happened was that after the death of her husband the woman tried to sell the CD on Ebay which reacted properly by removing it from the website after one day because it is against their policy to offer such recordings. Now Eric Clapton's lawyers sue the woman, and the fine can be up to a quarter of a million Euros!

If Clapton would sue some manufacturer it would be alright but what does he intent by persecuting an arguably unsuspecting woman? She claims that she was not aware of doing something illegal because her husband had bought the CD in a normal store. If she was fined for some hundred Euros it would be enough to keep others from selling such CDs but I think it is immoral for one of the wealthiest rock stars to ask for such an exorbitant sum of money forjust trying to sell one CD.

Certainly bootlegs are illegal but for instance the Rolling Stones have always been aware that at the same time they are part of rock culture and helped to make them rock legends. I am ambiguous about bootlegs because as an honest citizen I do not want to support illegal actions but at the same time some of the great live recordings would never have surfaced if it was not on bootlegs. And I am grateful to the Rollings Stones that they always kind of tolerated it - Mick Jagger is known to be an eager collector - because I am convinced that people who bought bootlegs always bought all the legitimate releases as well, as I did.

Recently, one has to wonder about Eric Clapton...

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NeddieFlanders
Same happened to me when I offered a grey market LP on Ebay by Alice Cooper with a 70's radio show on it (which are also sold openly on e.g. Amazon). There's lawyers who got a deal with the management of musicians to prevent such auctions/sales and the normal charge you face is between 300 and 1000 euros. I guess these high figures in BILD and German Rolling Stone (10K to 250K) are theoretical possibilities (worst case scenarios) but I guess they never get charged.
Other artists who sue bootleg sellers on Ebay are Genesis, Iggy Pop and Pink Floyd. But I never heard such thing about The Stones, Beatles or Dylan. It looks like the real cool artists don't give a sh1t.

N

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micha063

Where can I find the source of the info?

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DGA35

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Irix
herself will also not play a role in the verdict.

With 280 million records sold, Eric Clapton is one of the most successful musicians of all time.

280 million album sold?! So worldwide, he's pretty much outsold every band except the Beatles!

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ds1984
I am pretty sure that EC himself is not aware of this story.

Eric talked by the past about bootlegs in an interview and said "at first I a was against people recording my shows. One night I saw someone with a mike and started to be angry then I realised that it was maybe the best show I was performing and without him there would be no trace of it"

Eric Clapton is not the only right holder so several people have financial interest to sue in the name of Eric Clapton. This is a great business for lawyers.

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ds1984
I am pretty sure that EC himself is not aware of this story.

Eric talked by the past about bootlegs in an interview and said "at first I a was against people recording my shows. One night I saw someone with a mike and started to be angry then I realised that it was maybe the best show I was performing and without him there would be no trace of it"

Eric Clapton is not the only right holder so several people have financial interest to sue in the name of Eric Clapton. This is a great business for lawyers.

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ds1984

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DGA35

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Irix
herself will also not play a role in the verdict.

With 280 million records sold, Eric Clapton is one of the most successful musicians of all time.

280 million album sold?! So worldwide, he's pretty much outsold every band except the Beatles!

NO! Read again what is quoted

It's 280 million records sold so that also include singles (and eps).

Yes before the age of streaming artist were also selling singles

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More Hot Rocks
All those sales helped get him these cars.

[www.gq-magazine.co.uk]

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Rockman
Jeff Beck is a car man too .....

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ds1984
Personaly I don't care, don't mind about Clapton's cars.
The thing I care about is music.

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Cooltoplady

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ds1984
Personaly I don't care, don't mind about Clapton's cars.
The thing I care about is music.

And......? So what if people talk about his cars

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ds1984
Nothing special everybody is free to speak.

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Cooltoplady

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ds1984
Personaly I don't care, don't mind about Clapton's cars.
The thing I care about is music.

And......? So what if people talk about his cars

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1cdog
During the Ferrari Formula 1 glory years of Schumacher, Todt & Brawn, Clapton would always play a private concert for the Ferrari F1 Teams end of year Christmas party. Rumor had it Clapton was paid off in a new Ferrari car each of those performances. I have a boot of at least one of the performances. Here is a link about one of his performances for Ferrari:

[www.whereseric.com]

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Ruskafarian
Be sure to get the follow-up too!

[en.wikipedia.org]

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Irix

Translation of the Rolling Stone article:

Eric Clapton vs. Ratinger employee: injunction because of 10-Euro-CD

by Martin Schüler, 24-Nov-2021

Singer and guitarist Eric Clapton has obtained an injunction against a German municipal employee from Ratingen. The reason: In July, Gabriele P. had offered the CD "Eric Clapton - Live USA" from her husband's estate for € 9.95 on eBay. According to an affidavit by the musician, the recordings were made without his consent. The [www.BILD.de] tabloid reported that.

"Yet my husband bought the CD in the department store"

With an amount in dispute of € 10,000, Gabriele P. is therefore supposed to pay about € 2,000 for lawyers and court costs. If she fails to do so, she faces a fine of € 250,000 - or even six months in prison. The Ratingerin objected before the regional court on Wednesday: "After just one day, the offer was removed from eBay. They told me that Eric Clapton had complained. The recording of the CD was said to have been made illegally. First I got a warning, then the injunction. But my husband bought the CD in a department store, not under the counter somewhere."

Chances for the employee are slim

On December 15, the court will decide - but the chances of success for the 55-year-old are not very good: According to the judge, it does not matter that Gabriele P. was not aware of the inadmissibility of the recordings. The fact that she did not buy the CD herself will also not play a role in the verdict.

With 280 million records sold, Eric Clapton is one of the most successful musicians of all time. Most recently, "Slowhand" attracted attention with his "maverick" opinion on how to deal with the Corona crisis. - [www.RollingStone.de] .