You may have noticed that we have been a bit quiet just lately and that there has been no new podcast or update to the website. The reason is that there have been some issues raised by changes in the way the copyright societies handle web based services - huge fees for podcast licenses, restrictions on how we present music and a number of other issues including problems with presenting music that is registered with a copyright society but still unpublished or signed to a label. On top of this, the new law on mailing means that we can no longer effectively promote our members. We have a large number of international contacts in our network who, while they do not object to being mailed about new artists etc. do not wish to be 'officially' registered on a mailing list. This means that every time we mail these people we are now breaking the law.

In other words, we know that we have been 'walking a tight rope' for a while now, staying just about legal but we have now found out that if we do not jump off soon, someone is going to cut the wire out from under us. Therefore we have taken the decision to radically change the way Pro-Demo works.

We have learned over the years that what people really want is help, advice and support from me personally and so that is what we are going to offer. We have scrapped the database and search system - MySpace does this almost as well as we did - and in it's place will be a more personal, one to one, demo appraisal and consultancy service. We will continue the podcast once we have some clarification on just what we can and cannot use in the show. Right now this looks like it will mean that any music that is registered with a copyright society will not be able to be played, pretty much what we always used to do because that was always the whole point of Pro-Demo - supporting new talent.

We have also developed a support service for small labels and artists who want to just go ahead and get their music out there themselves. We have heard a lot of cries for help over the last year or so and now is the time to do something about it.

For more information on all of the new services - go to the ABOUT page.

Unfortunately, none of this will be free. In the past Pro-Demo was more or less totally automated and therefore we could absorb what little costs there were for the back end and everyone involved donated their time and expertise because we believed in what we were doing. We still do believe in supporting new talent and helping good music get out to the public but as we can no longer operate the way we used to without risking prosecution and fines we are going to have to charge a small fee for the new services.

In a way, it's sad that the authorities cannot give a little helping hand to the wealth of artists and composers out there at the start of their careers but we hope that the new regulations will level the playing field for everyone and that, in the end, great music will always get heard.