5 Shows to Build Coffers Against Record Labels

A cadre of popular musicians led by Elton John, the Eagles and the Dixie Chicks is banding together to put on an extraordinary production: five benefit concerts in the Los Angeles area on one night in February.

But, instead of raising money for charity, the artists are taking the stage to finance their ongoing battle against the record industry.

The Recording Artists Coalition, a trade group with more than 100 activist entertainers, has booked the Forum in Inglewood, the Long Beach Arena, the Universal Amphitheatre and the Los Angeles Sports Arena to present separate concerts Feb. 26, the night before the music establishment’s most prestigious event, the Grammy Awards telecast. A fifth venue is being scheduled.

Among the artists committed to perform so far are Billy Joel, Sheryl Crow, Stevie Nicks, Offspring, No Doubt, Weezer and Ozzy Osbourne. Other activist musicians are expected to sign on in the weeks ahead to perform at the five shows featuring pop, alternative, rhythm and blues, hard rock and country music.

“It’s about time for artists to take control of their work and how it is presented to our fans,” said Dexter Holland of Offspring.

Organizers say they are encountering few logistical obstacles in scheduling the concerts because the artists will be in Los Angeles at the expense of record companies to participate in the annual Grammy Awards show. The musicians also are hoping to take advantage of the media spotlight to promote their crusade during the industry’s weeklong celebration.

Proceeds will be used to help the coalition launch a legislative assault against the Big Five music conglomerates to stop what some artists call unconscionable business practices used to deny musicians their fair share of royalty earnings. The political campaign follows bitter legal disputes by Courtney Love and the Dixie Chicks, who have accused their labels of exploiting them and other acts with corrupt accounting tactics.

Record companies maintain that the economic structure of the industry is fair to music acts. Companies say artists voluntarily sign industry standard agreements and are paid fair royalties based on “time honored industry practices.”

Some label executives were incensed at the notion that artists would use concert proceeds to fund their campaign against the record industry power structure.

“It’s ironic, don’t you think?” said one executive who spoke on condition of anonymity. “The record companies are the ones who helped these artists get to the point where they could sell tickets and play arenas in the first place.”

The concerts appear timed to jab label executives over contracts and other issues during a week when the industry’s power brokers typically gather to celebrate their accomplishments for the year.

The Feb. 26 fund-raisers are expected to be the first in a series of benefits to help the coalition build a war chest to lobby lawmakers for better contracts, beefed-up copyright protection and free agency status that could rewrite the economics of the music business.

Grammy chief Michael Greene, whose organization will sponsor an estimated 73 official Grammy activities that week, said he is supportive of the concerts. He said he was told that the musicians are interested in improving conditions for creative and technical people.

“I would absolutely not support this if I thought it was just an in-your-face thing against the labels.”

Artist rights advocates have hired two high-profile lobbyists to champion their cause and have met with California state Sen. Kevin Murray (D-Culver City), a former music agent. This fall, Murray called for hearings to examine a music industry-lobbied amendment to the state Labor Code that keeps recording artists tied to contracts longer than other workers. Murray is expected to file a bill to repeal the amendment Jan. 7.

To drum up support for passage of Murray’s bill, the coalition is planning an Artist Lobby Day in late January. And artists are expected to return to Sacramento during Grammy week to testify about Murray’s bill, organizers said.

Repealing the Labor Code amendment is just the beginning, say Eagles’ singer Don Henley and other stars. Artists plan to testify at hearings on other industry practices, such as accounting, auditing and payments for health care and pension funds.

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Times staff writer Jeff Leeds contributed to this report.

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