Karaoke Forums

I had a guy last night that I swear MUST HAVE been a SoundChoice P.I..

First, he showed up at 9:00 on the DOT, and came up and asked me why I had not started karaoke yet, since it was advertised as 9:00 (advertised where, I have no idea...who knew we advertised?).

The bar was practically empty and there was a table watching the TB Rays game on the big screen I use for karaoke lyrics, so I told him that I was just going to hold off for about 15-20 minutes to let them watch a few innings.

Anyway, without really any reason, he starting asking me tons of questions about my song library, computer, and discs. He asked me if I was computer or disc based. I told him I was computer based, but had all of the discs and used them as back up (I don't carry them to my show, but I do have 1-1 discs for all my songs..886 discs, including 140 or so SC discs). I even detailed my 8 month burning process to go digital. He then asked me how many songs I had, and I told him about 12,000.....18,000 if you include duplicates. I think he was fishing for 500,000 or whatever.

The guy was wearing a Brinks Home Security shirt and called himself Dean.

Anyway, I got a funny feeling right off the bat from him, but I was just cautious and decided that I was going to refrain from using ANY SoundChoice versions throughout the night (funny how it's come to that, huh?) just to be safe.

I started about 15 minutes later, and Dean was the first to sing. He wrote down a song that I had in the book under the ChartBuster version and asked me if I had the any other versions, to which I told him that everything I have is in the book. Later, a gal he had been talking to requested and sang Hotel California, so I have to wonder if he had anything to do with that, and was fishing for the discontinued SC version. I have the Backstage version, which isn't too bad, actually.

Without even discussing this guy with anyone else, my girlfriend and one of the bartenders came up at different times saying that the guy was giving them a weird vibe, and asking weird questions, and I told them what I thought was going on, and that they had nothing to worry about.

Anyway, I'm about 75% certain that I was just investigated by SoundChoice last night. I know for a FACT that I said and did all the right things, and that I'm 100% legal, but it still makes me nervous that this guy showed up in the first place.

The ironic part is that this guy sang 5 times, seemed to have a really good time, and complimented me on my system and sound several times before he left (and grabbed my business card on his way out).

The great thing is that due to the information available on this site, I saw this guy coming from a mile away and figured out right off the bat who he was and what he was doing. I can imagine KJs that don't have this information, legal or not, pretty much implecate themselves by answering all of this guy's leading questions. His questions were not very formulaic or systematic, and I could EASILY see a KJ like me who is computer based but doesn't carry around their discs falling into this guy's trap. It was certainly a GUILTY unless I decide your are innocent kinda feeling.

Anyway, I said and did everything right, so cross your fingers and hope that SC agrees!

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C Mc
KJ, FL

Hi, thx for the in depth review. You handled it very well. Where are you located? FL?

Yup, Tampa Bay area in FL, they might not be done around here yet. Or it could all be a very very weird coincidence.

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C Mc
KJ, FL

I tend to think an investigator wouldn't be wearing a Brinks shirt. It seems to obvious. In fact, I wonder if an investigator would even do any singing, or would rather just watch the game on tv and observe. On the other hand, a Brinks employee that enjoys karaoke might have a security type mindset that would ask pointed questions about one's system and disc collection. Who knows...?

Maybe when they put a song in you should have "accidentally" put in Secret Agent Man and to see how they reacted.

I highly doubt it was an investigator. If so, he was very inept. A true investigator would sit back and observe first of all and wouldn't ask questions in the way you described. He also would definitely NOT wear a security shirt of any sort.

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You can be strange but not a stranger

funny and scary story all at the same time.......

I think KJ's need a procedure or dealing with situations like this...
#1 - Don't answer any strangers questions
#2 - Never quote the number of titles you have - when asked you can say - I have "a lot" or "enough" or " good selection"
#3- When asked about SOUNDCHOICE you should answer WHO ? ..oh them
I think I have a few titles
#4 - When re do-ing your books take out any mention of SC or don't list disc numbers ---You can use a code word for yoru SC versions that only YOU know
#5 - When possible use another manu instead of SC just in case.
#6 - Use a switch or video editor so that the SC logo never appears on the screen
start every song AFTER the logo

Did you ever ask youself how these so called INVESTIGATORS get paid ???
They must need to ask certain questions and get certain answers and then a BUSINESS CARD to prove they were there. You are now on a LIST !!!!

Anyone asks me about any song, i'll open up the disc & show them the original. Yep, have it right here.

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LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

IMO

Not an investigator, sounds more like some wannabee KJ or detective that has read up on all of this SC stuff going on.

I have been leaving all my discs at home for as long as I can remember.
I don't plan on bringing them now ...

To each their own!

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LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

Funny thing, at my gig last night I had a new guy come in (never seen him before dressed in cowboy clothes (even the hat) and his name was Dean. he didn't ask any questions when he signed up for a song but did ask if everything was in the book. He sat by himself which i found a littlle odd but really didn't bother me any. BTW, he was a pretty good singer, and all he sang was country.

Maybe that is their code name "Dean"?????

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No venue to big or too small. From your den to the local club or event, we have the music most requested. Great sounding system!

I get that alot. I know i've been guilty of not updating my books the day I get new discs if I am waiting on other discs from other stores, so will just tell people to come check out the new discs until I get the full order to add the new songs in the book. Just today I bought 3 discs (older) that i'll stick in the club, but am waiting on a couple custom discs with requests & the new CB releases before I will list them all.
But have heard from customers that many places they go to do not even update their books and have people go ask the kj if they have a song.

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LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

We had a group of never before seen people come in and every song they asked for had to be Sound Choice and they kept asking if we had anything other than what was listed in our books. Flashbulbs were going off all night. Turned out they were from a business across the street celebrating a birthday. One of the people used to be a KJ and liked Sound Choice songs. But funny how the paranoia has you wondering about anyone you don't recognize.

Didn't Brinks changed their name to Broadview? That had to be a front

I don't bring them all either... maybe 3000 on disc. I got ripped off one night; busy night, not paying attention as I should have... I'd never, ever bring all of the collection on disc.... As you say, to each his own.

As far as I can tell, they still operate under the Brinks brand:
http://www.brinksinc.com/

Sc doesn't hire professional P.I.s, per Kurt, they send in locals.

However, one point that came up is really kinda weird, and I've heard it before: "Do you have songs or versions that aren't in your book?"

My question is, why would this be incriminating? I'm disc based, use mfr. discs only, and my books are NEVER completely up to date. Does someone expect us to reprint all of our books every time we buy a new disc? Get serious...

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"No Contests, No Divas, Just A Good Time!"

" Disc based and loving it..."

IMHO, because of the following, you are probably 98% correct that you were visited by SC
1. You're in Tampa and SC is still investigating there and in S Florida
2. You gave no indication that your investigator while he was waiting for the show to start engaged in any small talk that provided you any hint as to where else he sings in the local area and what he was doing at your show that particular night
3. SC has been criticized for incorrectly evaluating and making false accusations against an operator because they did not thoroughly investigate the type of media and size of library that was in use during the actual show. "Dean" asked those types of questions and you responded. And your responses along with all of the circumstantial evidence (such as the stated size of your library, the actual size of your songbooks, the other manufacturers you played viz a viz SC , etc) allowed him to gather a wealth of information upon which a preliminary evaluation of your library can be made.
4. It was suggested that SC can often get "the goods on" most pirates by asking simple questions of the operator, because pirates brag about the size of their libraries and how much of it is SC. So, Dean outright asked you those type of questions and what you "bragged" about was how many discs you had and how long it took to rip them!
5. SC has also been accused of being confused as to who was actually running the "show in question". One KJ who was not the operator of an illegal show was sued because out-dated promo material named him as the KJ for the show at the visited venue. Can you think of a reason for Dean taking your biz card other than as evidence of who was actually running the show and where you may possibly be reached if there is a reason to find you later on?

Good Luck.... although I believe you don't need it. Sounds to me like you passed with flying colors!

It could be an investigator or then maybe not. I have had the exact same sort of questions asked by people I know are not investigators (these are people I have known for years).

Unfortunately some of the people who sing karaoke are lonely types, and some of them will try to start a conversation on anything under the sun. It is just the wish to talk to someone, and karaoe songs are a convenient topic at a karaoke show.

Not to say it isnt, but we cant get paranoid about every non regular that walks into the bar. A good investigator will not be obvious. Not to say that SC necessaraly is using good investigators.

Yep, as you suggested, Dean could have been an investigator. And while I think he was, we have no evidence as of yet that someone who isn't a pirate has any reason to be paranoid about an investigator's presence at their show. We want thorough investigations to prevent false accusations of legal rigs!

And if someone is "lonely" and desirous of starting a conversation as you suggest, I would expect that being at a show for the first time, such a person might be more inclined to talk about where else they sing, how it is that they came to your show for the first time, and how many songs do they get to sing per turn.

I rarely have anybody ask me about the manufacturers I have in my library and I have never been "barraged" with the number and type of questions fired off at ToperM!