The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1941-01-23
The Cherry Tree
Where We Hdtchet Out
The Truth
. ASCAP VS.. BMI
. GIVES BETTER MUSIC
. PUBLIC GETS REST
Q FROM GREAT DIN

. FROM GREAT DIN
1t isn't possible at this writing to
forecast the outcome of the battle
between ASCAP and the broadcasting
played on the air.
The battle is one over dollars and
cents, of course and has nothing to
do with music as such, or with the
quality of broadcasting.
ASCAP says "you pay me" and the
networks says "nix"-and that's your
issue for you.
But it seems to at least one person
who listens to radio until the noise
becomes too awful that the public has
been the gamer thus far in this strug-
gle between powerful interests.
We are getting better music most
of the time. So, let the battle rage.
x x x
1t may be that given time BMI will
turn out music just as bad, just as
wearing on the nerves, as anything
ever ground out by the ASCAP me-
chanics, but it will take time. Mean
while the publcs ear gets rest.
If BMI takes a fair amount of time
to get around to turning out the ear
busters so prevalent in the music of
pre-1941 it may be that the general
sense of hearing and discrimination
between sounds may return to the
public.
1t may even be that some badly
damaged ear drums may be restored
to their original soundness.
The joy could be much greater
if there were some assurance
that BMI would never learn the
secret of producing the horrors
of the old days.
But the moguls told the people so
long and so often that certain awful
sounds constituted popular" music
that BMI probably believes the stuff
is popular and will initiate it as soon
as possible. Meanwhile, We can be
thankful for the respite.
X X X
To be sure, the reason we are get
ting better music today, under the
aegis of BMI (Which means Broad
cast Music, Inc.) is that with no
great store of new music on hand, it
must draw upon the music of the past.
The music of the past was, by and
large, better music. More rythm, more
harmony, more tune; less cacaphony,
less dissonance, less downright crash
| ing together of all the notes in the
scale, helter skelter. Less sheer loud
| noise.
1t seems that lot of modern COM
posers and musicians think that there
is no music unless there is gosh
awful volume of sound, thrown at the
listening ear with something Of the
effect of locomotive going through
a glass factory to collide on the other
side with a train load Of scrap iron.
So, out of the big fight, we get bet
ter music for time. Praise Allah!
X X X
Of course the fight may end at any
moment and the ASCAP stuff may
come back to the air ways. Too much
wealth is tied up in ASCAP to lead its
moguls to stay off the air permanent
ly if they can find way back.
Of course, too much money is in
volved for the networks to allow them
to yield to ASCAP as long as they
can hold out and get away with it.
We probably do not know the whole
story about this row and perhaps the
whole truth will never come to light.
1t is highly probable that there are
interesting angles that haven't got in
to the daylight.
But, for the listener, that is all un-
important when set up beside the fact
that welter Of so-called music which
should be called punishment, is being
kept off the radio, to the tremendous
relief of any number Of persons.
Until it returns, or until BMl be-
gins to grind out the awful stuff, let
US give thanks while we revel in list
cning to pieces that don't curl the
ears and send listeners to dial out or
bury themselves in the basement.