What happens if you don't include a CPA statement? Congress (in 17 U.S.C. Sec. 115) empowered the Register of Copyrights to create CPA regulations (found at 37 CFR 201.19,) for compulsory licensing accounting. (And yes, Annual Accountings under compulsory licenses must be accompanied by the CPA's statement, shown way at the bottom of this blog entry). Sec. 115 (6) provides that:
"If the copyright owner does not receive the monthly payment and the monthly and annual statements of account when due, the owner may give written notice to the licensee that, unless the default is remedied within thirty days from the date of the notice, the compulsory license will be automatically terminated. Such termination renders either the making or the distribution, or both, of all phonorecords for which the royalty has not been paid, actionable as acts of infringement ... "So, if we assume that failing to include a CPA notice places you in default, you would only be liable for any future sales (after receiving a notice of default). So perhaps an easy solution would be to pay off the remaining 79 CDs ($7.19). Once the publisher cashes that check (and assuming you don't press any more CDs), it appears that the CPA issue would be moot. Alternatively, if you don't want to pay it off and you want to continue pressing and selling the cover song, you could send a letter to the publisher explaining the situation and furnishing all of the documentation asking them to please release you from the onerous CPA requirement.
What's up with your CPA? We're lawyers so we can relate to the CYA mentality exhibited by the CPA. Standard accounting practices for small labels are fairly simple and easy to review and confirm. If you used a duplication service that can confirm 150 pressed CDs, and 79 CDs remain in inventory, it should be relatively easy for the CPA to confirm your accounting and to fulfill the requirements established in the statement, below. (As for your question, sorry, we don't know any CPAs.)
CPA statement that must be included. If you do manage to obtain a CPA's cooperation, the CPA must furnish the following statement:
"We have examined the attached “Annual Statement of Account Under Compulsory License For Making and Distributing Phonorecords” for the fiscal year ended (date) of (name of the compulsory licensee) applicable to phonorecords embodying (title or titles of nondramatic musical works embodied in phonorecords made under the compulsory license) made under the provisions of section 115 of title 17 of the United States Code, as amended by Pub. L. 94-553, and applicable regulations of the United States Copyright Office. Our examination was made in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and accordingly, included tests of the accounting records and such other auditing procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances."
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