Don't Panic - Big News

Hello,

I’m Amy and this is my newsletter Why Sing Goodbye Songs where I share stories and songs from the archive of my dad, the late singer-songwriter Pete Scott.

If you’re just looking for the crowdfunder link, you can find it here.

I’m writing this time with some very big news! Since I took over managing my dad’s music after he passed away in 2023, the question I’ve been asked by far the most often is how people can get hold of his debut album Don’t Panic and whether I will be re-issuing it on CD or making it available for streaming. It hasn’t been possible for me to do that so far due to a complex and acrimonious legal situation affecting a large number of artists and albums from the 70s. Today, for the first time, it looks like that might be about to change.

You may remember that I wrote last year about a crowdfunder being undertaken on behalf of the folk musician Dick Gaughan to assist him with legal fees in his fight to obtain the rights to several of his albums. You can read what I said about it at the time here.

Since then, the legal action against the company in question has extended significantly to include many more artists. Thanks to a reader of this newsletter (thank you David!) I was put in touch with Colin Harper who has spearheaded the campaign for Dick Gaughan. This week, he is launching another crowdfunder to assist in the potential retrieval of the rights to 22 albums recorded in the period from 1970 – 1975. I’m beyond delighted to tell you that Don’t Panic is on that list! You can read all the details here.

To quote from the crowdfunder:

“We’re fundraising, collectively, to cover the legal fees for a group of artists to hire the expert solicitor they need. To get more specific: if we raise the full target … it will allow these artists active in the early 1970s to send watertight legal letters to the entity currently claiming ownership of their recordings (released prior to 1976) for the late Bill Leader’s Trailer label and in one case for Rubber Records. Once those letters are sent, the clock will start ticking: the work has to be made properly available within 12 months of the letter’s sending, or the rights will return to the artist and/or heirs. Help us start the clock and get this music back to those who made it, and into the ears of a new generation of music fans.”

I’m not going to get into the details of how this situation came about (partly because I don’t want to get myself in trouble!) so I will just say that Pete never worked with the company that currently claims the rights to Don’t Panic and Jimmy the Moonlight and had no say in the Rubber Records catalogue being obtained by them. Jimmy the Moonlight is not currently eligible to be reclaimed in this way until 2027, but rest assured I will do everything in my power to get that one back as well when the time comes.

The people organising this have significantly more knowledge and reach than I could have achieved by myself, so it’s amazingly lucky for me to have been introduced to them at such a promising moment in this saga. The best-case scenario is that, in a little over a year from now, I will be able to re-issue Don’t Panic, complete with the original artwork, on CD and also make it available across all digital and streaming platforms. This process also covers a song called Goodbye, which appeared on the Rubber Records compilation album Take Off Your Head and Listen, which I know a lot of you will remember.

I feel very cautious about asking for donations to this. It’s such a difficult moment for so many people and there are so many worthy causes that need support. I just want to say first of all, that I don’t have any expectation that anyone reading this will be able to donate to this crowdfunder. This opportunity has only come about because of connections I’ve made via writing this newsletter, and I only keep writing this because you all keep reading it. So, if you’re still reading these emails and still listening to Pete’s music, you’re already doing so much and I’m really grateful.

I do know, however, that there are a lot of you out there who would want the opportunity to help bring back Don’t Panic. This is our chance! The crowdfunder will benefit 12 artists and 3 heirs to artists who have passed away. If they reach their target for all the albums, the money for Don’t Panic will go directly to the solicitor who will write the necessary letters.

Although I’m excited by the prospect of being able to re-issue Don’t Panic, the feeling is also bittersweet. Pete was deeply upset by what happened to those first two albums and, happy as I am about the prospect of finally being able to do something about it, it hurts that he didn’t live to see it.

There aren’t many songs from Don’t Panic that I’m legally allowed to share with you (for now!) but I do have this demo recording of Misty. As some of you know, the sleeve notes on Don’t Panic are very funny. For this song, Pete wrote: “Written during a period of slavery in the Civil Service. I thought it was misty outside but it was just the dirty windows.” Press play below to listen (opens in a new window if you’re reading this on email).

I’m not making this one available as a download because, on this occasion, if you have a couple of quid to spare, I would much rather you chucked it into the pot for Colin’s crowdfunder, which you can find by clicking here. But if anyone desperately wants to download it let me know and I will make it available.

I’m a bit emotional about this one as you can probably tell. Thanks for being here, thanks for reading these, thanks for continuing to listen to my dad’s music. Pete created a lot of good karma in his life and I continue to stumble into it day after day.

Here’s the link to the crowdfunder one more time.

See you next time,

Amy