... BUT WHERE DOES THE REST GO?

According to The Register UK-based charity Oxfam which has released a "Songs for Sudan" compilation album in support of aid efforts in that country's devastated Darfur region. "Songs for Sudan" is available by download only and exclusively from Oxfam's bigmusic.com. It features 18 tracks from such notable performers as Ash, REM, Badly Drawn Boy, Jet, Faithless and David Gray. The download costs £7.99, of which £5 goes directly to Oxfam. If you want to give but don't like the music, you can make a direct donation to Oxfam's Sudan Crisis appeal at the charity's website. A radio report from the BBC this morning said that the participating artists were waiving their entitlement to royalties.



The IPKat is impressed at the manner in which the new electronic technologies can be brought so speedily to bear in times of crisis such as this one. He also applauds all ways of generating cash for the Darfur region but, like all other cats, he's very curious. In particular, he wonders ...



* what happens to the £2.99 per download that isn't going directly to Oxfam?



* how much of the £5 that goes to Oxfam will end up in Darfur?



* if copyright in the album is infringed, what measure of damages might Oxfam be able to claim?



An earlier recording for humanitarian relief: Beatles for Bangla Desh here