Who to contact about creating a song for an international event?

Tempest

This is a question for a colleague I have been asked to post to see what he should to to progress this idea:

There is an international event coming up soon in the UK, and, as we all know people have in the past come up with entertaining tunes to go alongside popular events.

He has a specific popular oldish tune in mind, which he says everyone knows the moment they hear it. (not sure if the original artist is still with us)

He has put together new words to go with this well known tune that are appropriate for this forthcoming international event, and feels it could hopefully be very popular.

However, he has no idea of what steps to take to move on with this, and make it actually happen.

Basically his idea ideally would be to get some well known artists to make a new recording of this tune with his words to go along with this event.

And naturally who he could trust with this idea.

Might anyone know who he should look to contact, what steps he needs to take and/or how he should go about making such an idea a reality?

Thanks.

Bill Hicks

Sounds like a tricky one?
So you're going to use an already published piece of music and have new original lyrics sung over that by someone fairly well known.
I guess first you'll have to find out who owns the original music inc the lyrics if it's the same person and get their permission. If you're not releasing your new version commercially as such then it should be a bit easier to get that permission I would have thought?
Then you'll have to get an established artist to record the new lyric, preferably I guess for free?
I don't know if your friend has contacts in the industry but you'll need a music lawyer I would have thought as your first port of call.
Sorry I can't help you out anymore than this.

KungFuPro

Maybe someone like replayheaven could redo the track without copyright infringement problems? Sample Replay - REPLAY HEAVEN | World-leading specialists in sample recreations and audio re-recordings

They remake samples with professional musicians for bands/artists who can't get permission from the original artist (not sure about whole tracks).

I've haven't used them and don't know how it works, but I recall the name from a Guthrie Govan guitar tutorial video. He explains it a bit better than I can, it's at 50:30 in this video.

Learn how to play May 2010 by Guthrie Govan Guitar Lessons - LickLibrary

Tempest

Thank you to both of you for your replies.

He has no contacts in the industry, just the idea (and words) and wishes to put this to someone with contacts to see if they would run with it.

As with all these things, if you are "in the know, with the contacts" it's easy but otherwise you are struggling to know who to put this to, to get anywhere.

Bill Hicks

If you are not going to sell the track then I'm sure you wouldn't have to pay any copyright? But in saying this as it's going to be used as a promotional song for a presumably commercial event then you may need to get the legal side dealt with.

Tempest

Oh yes, from what I understand. His ideal scenario would be for someone to hear his idea, think it's excellent and call upon some well known names to record a track and put it out there in time for this event for the public to enjoy/buy.  Its just who doe she contact that can do this?

Bill Hicks

Out of interest what is the track you're thinking about?

Tempest

To be honest, I do not know.

My friend has not told me ( I think he's keeping the idea to himself at the moment) but tbh I have not asked.

Only that's it's a very well known and liked tune, he thinks the original artist may still be alive, but he's not sure. Only of those tunes we all know, and he wants to add his own lyrics to this, sung by well known names hopefully to make it a popular tune to be out when this international event starts up soon.

He's worried about someone stealing his idea and running with it. Hence he is eager to know who to speak to, to see if this can be made a reality.

RBZ5416

I'd have thought the first thing to do would be to knock up a demo. If the original is that well known then it shouldn't be too difficult to pick up a backing/karaoke track. She could then use Audacity to record the new lyrics over backing track. She can then tout that around trying to drum up interest. Maybe the local radio station would be a start?

If she wants to protect her idea then look at formally copyrighting the lyrics. A quick Google found this site but I know nothing about it.