Billy Corgan Endorses Ticketmaster/Live Nation Merger

Mr. Corgan was busy in Washington today, first appearing before the House Committee on the Judiciary in a hearing on the Performance Rights Act, then delivering a letter in support of the controversial Ticketmaster/Live Nation merger. You can read Billy's words to the committee here (and see photos here), but essentially Corgan told congressional leaders that radio should pay performers, not just songwriters, for tracks played. Seems fair, though Hitsville's Bill Wyman has a point that the RIAA appears to be "using its waning days of influence to grandfather in some payments that will artificially keep the labels alive after technological changes have passed them by entirely." In any case, if you're surprised by Corgan's testimony on this matter, brace yourself for his letter to Congress supporting the Ticketmaster/Live Nation merger, which many believe would constitute a monopoly in the ticket sales market.

Here's the text, provided by Ticketmaster to Chicago Sun-Times' Jim DeRogatis.

P.S. Ticketmaster CEO Irving Azoff is the Smashing Pumpkins' manager.
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