Lawyer and author Peter M. Thall interviewed by Readara.com on his book What They'll Never Tell You About The Music Business, Third Edition: The Complete Guide For Musicians, Songwriters, Producers, Managers, Industry Executives, Attorneys, And Accountants (published by Watson-Guptill)

The focal point of many aspiring artists and talented songwriters, the music industry sees just a tiny fraction of these creators reach financial success. In the pre-Internet world, recording labels and music studios would select the winners, but the structure of the industry is changing dramatically, both in financial and legal terms, as more and more people are creating and listening to music through various platforms and in different formats.

In the 3rd edition of his aptly named book, Peter M. Thall focuses on every aspect of the music business, highlighting the interests and potential benefits for all types of professionals and investors in this complicated universe of art creation and promotion. Just as the roles of songwriters, recording artists and publishers are changing, so is an outdated legal system trying to adapt to protecting the entrenched interests in a fast-changing industry.

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY: Peter M. Thall is a veteran of more than 45 years of practicing law. He is currently a member of the International Association of Entertainment Lawyers and The Copyright Society of the United States, the Association of Independent Music Publishers (former Board member), Founding Member of the Entertainment Law Initiative of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences and a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

A graduate of Columbia University and The National Law Center of The George Washington University School of Law, Mr. Thall has represented the interests of many of the world’s greatest artists (from Simon & Garfunkel to Barry Manilow, The Average White Band, ABBA, Ric Ocasek and The Cars, Hall & Oates, Foreigner, Pat Benatar, The Irish Tenors, the world-renowned Soprano, Anna Moffo and many other popular and classical artists, producers and singer/songwriters to the author/composer of several of Disney’s and Dreamworks’ animated feature films.

He consults several public corporations which are facing music rights issues for the first time, as they utilize music in a wide variety of ways, from corporate parties to “hold buttons,” cell phones, and internal, as well as external, web sites. Mr. Thall also consults Internet companies that are discovering new and profitable ways of providing music to consumers.
The third edition of his book What They’ll Never Tell You About The Music Business: The Complete guide for Musicians, Songwriters, etc.the Myths, the Secrets, the Lies (& A Few Truths) was published in August, 2016, by Billboard Books via Watson-Guptill, a division of Penguin Random House.
Among his less traditional clientele, Mr. Thall has consulted the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and has represented numerous supermodels including Paulina Porizkova and Rachel Hunter, fashion photographers including Bruce Weber, Sheila Metzner and Pamela Hanson, and renowned sports photographer David Bergman, some of America’s most renowned chefs including the legendary San Francisco chef Jeremiah Tower, and Claudia Fleming, pastry chef of the Gramercy Tavern, author of the widely heralded recipe book The Last Course. Ms. Fleming is also featured in the recently published New York Times book celebrating the twenty greatest chefs in America which features photography by Mr. Thall’s stepson, Vincent Laforet, himself a renowned photo journalist. Mr. Thall also has acted as special counsel to the National Basketball Player’s Association regarding endorsement and merchandising matters.

Mr. Thall is a Board member of the prestigious New York Festival of Song, founded by the late conductor and composer Leonard Bernstein, which is dedicated to the revival of the song recital.

During his career, Mr. Thall and his professional associates have specialized in all areas of entertainment law and intangible rights with particular emphasis in music, film, theater, television, literary merchandising and endorsements, fashion, design and photography.

Among his areas of expertise are: Copyright Law; Executive Employment Agreements and Compensation agreements; Acquisitions and Mergers in the music publishing and recording fields; all transactions generated in the domestic and international music publishing and recording fields; and providing corporations with copyright compliance services in their internet-related businesses.

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