海角大神

As the world remembers Elvis Presley on what would have been his 80th birthday, another music giant, Universal, is聽聽over alleged intellectual property theft by a company that produces mix tapes for America's prisoners.

Based in Massachusetts, the Keefe Group furnishes the incarcerated with personal items like聽candy, sneakers, toiletries, electronics, and mix tapes, that is a聽CD with recordings from many different artists, usually aimed to set a specific mood.

Fortunately for Elvis聽fans who want to ,听the litigious Universal doesn鈥檛 own Mr. Presley's catalogue. The King's聽recordings are primarily the property of Sony BMG.听

Because Mr. Presley鈥檚 big day was somewhat overshadowed by the headlines made by the Universal lawsuit, it seems only fair to frame the news聽

What would Elvis have to about Universal's message that it wants聽聽and a little more court action on copyright infringement?

The King might take Universal鈥檚 side and say 聽when it comes to policing copyright infringement cases like the one filed in California court聽Tuesday聽against Centric Group, a subsidiary of the Keefe Group, according to聽.

Of course there鈥檚 also a slim chance the King of rock and roll would say Universal ain鈥檛 nutin鈥� but , cryin鈥� all the time聽about those who incorporate their catalogue into everything from airline in-flight music,听,听,听and even聽聽on television called Masters of the Mix.

It appears that no matter聽聽if your mix isn鈥檛 authorized by the copyright owner or owner of corresponding state law rights, are nothing more than collections of infringing, piratical compilations of copyrighted or otherwise legally protected sound recordings and copyrighted musical composition," Universal contends in the Hollywood Reporter.

Universal views these kinds of mixtapes as聽, a聽potential cover for piracy. The Keefe Group, whose聽website states that the company exclusively serves the correctional market through its various affiliates did not respond for comment.

Elvis no longer rocks most prison mix tapes these days. According to the report, that distinction goes to artists such as James Brown, Eminem, Marvin Gaye, and Stevie Wonder.

If you鈥檙e a company using Universal catalogue items and they find out聽聽Universal is seeking damages of $150,000 聽per infringed song according to the Hollywood Reporter.

The lawsuit states that record companies and music publishers discovered earlier this year that mix tapes were being included in care packages for prisoners.

It added that defendants "sometimes sell their infringing products substantially below market value, in order to promote, market, and profit from their sales of other goods and services".

While Mr. Pressley was known for the song 鈥淛ailhouse Rock鈥� which was featured in a film of the same name, Elvis never actually went to jail. 鈥淛ailhouse Rock,鈥� was featured in the Elvis movie of the same name, where Elvis plays a wrongly accused convict who becomes a star when he gets out.

It was Elvis鈥� father, Vernon Pressley, who did time, according to one聽.

鈥淰ernon was sentenced to three years in the Parchman Farm Prison for forgery. (Vernon had sold a pig for $4, but had changed the check to either $14 or $40.)鈥� the website notes.

Universal has not release a number on how many allegedly illegal mixtapes were sent to prisoners with the message聽聽from a loved one who believed they weren鈥檛 stepping on the toes of anyone鈥檚聽

Perhaps the best advice for inmates receiving one of these allegedly illegal mixtapes in a care package the best course of action is to simply聽