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“The young musicians whom Amarasiri Peiris mentioned are not us…it 
had been done by ‘Torana’music company.
We are not politicized
We don’t have any problems with Iraj
Santhush’s son is still 4 months old…"
Bathiya speaks about rumours
Last month the famous singer Amarasiri Peiris had made a statement to the media complaining that two young musicians, started the lucrative ringing tone business in Sri Lanka. He said that his song “Landune” had been used in ringing tones without his permission and that they have been earning lacks and lacks through this ringing tone racket.
Since the two musicians were not named many media had interpreted it to be Bathiya and Santhush.
In order to find the truth behind this we (Gossip Lanka) met Bathiya Jayakody. He told that they are not related to any of these and that in fact they have contacted Amarasiri Peiris to get to know whether he had made any comment about them.
When we contacted Amarasiri Peiris to know further information, he had
stated that he has not mentioned their names to any media.
After further investigations it was revealed to us that Torana had been using the songs for ringing tones. It showed us that the names of Bathiya and Santhush have been used to distort the truth. We spoke on this matter when we met Bathiya Jayakody.
Read our discussion from below:
Why has ringing tone business become a medium for the musicians to earn money?
The story begins like this… in 1960s there were only recording discs…cassettes came in 1970s…CDs came in 1980s…but now many can listen and download music online for free and obtain s Mp 3 songs which could be taken for ringing tones. As a result now CDs are not sold much. Thus, the only medium for a composer or a musician could earn is from ringing tones and from CDs.
Aren’t the CDs selling at all?
Even out of the best musicians only 5000 to 8000 CDs could be sold. Maximum would be about 10,000. Many can’t earn even their expenditure for the production due to this free Mp3 racket.
Do you have problems with the copy right holder of songs?
No one has problems as such these days because we work after signing contracts. Those issues were there in the past. Those days only one person used to create, compose or write songs. After that a music company produces the CDs or the cassettes. Since they don’t sign an agreement, all of them fight for their rights saying that they own the song. Even the income is divided in different ways. Recently the government formulated a regulation asking to pay Rupees 3 when songs are played over the air through numerous media. Yet there were no mention about who was going to monitor them.
So what is this ringing tone racket?
This is called a racket since there is no legal owner. Those days, the ownership is given only to just one music company. But along with the changes that had taken place nowadays, different companies use different ways to earn money. When the songs are taken as ringing tones some even don’t bother to inform it to the musicians. Thus the income is spilt in an unjustifiable manner, that is how it has become a racket.
Was it about You two that Amarasiri Peiris mentioned regarding the ringing tone racket?
“We are not at all related to Amarasiri Peiris “Landune” song. After I got to know about it I spoke to Amarasiri aiya. I told him that it had been done by Torana Music Company. He said that he didn’t mention our names. He said that the interviewer had added to his version and published it. He asked what he should do. We are been blamed and made guilty for irresponsible work done by media…we had got suspected falsely caught and even the media questions us…I think the authorities haven’t advised them properly and that’s why these things keep happening.”
Is the relationship with the old generation of the field good?
We are very close to people like Sanath Nandasiri, Edward Jayakody,Rohana Weerasinghe, Lakshman Wijesekara etc. Likewise there is also a group who criticizes us since they are unable to distinguish the difference between the world and us. But we are not going to respond to them…we look at them as children who never go against their parents how much ever they scold us.
You have been criticized for remixing others’ songs? Haven’t you?
“There have been people who had criticized us without finding really what is right and wrong. When we sang “Siri Sngabodi Maligawedi” we were criticized for remixing Buddha. They told that we even stole it. Those words are spoken by the person who has gone to kill the king.
We have legally bought it. Out of the 140 songs we have done, there are only 4 remixed songs. We have taken only “Manu Sath Kule”and “Ethnic woman” from folk music. We used them because we were proud to call them ours. All of them were sung with the permission of the respective owners. We have mentioned that clearly in our CD covers this information as well. There are some who don’t like one quality or style of us and then they criticize everything of us”.
Your generation has issues with Iraj. Isn’t that so?
“We never had issues with Iraj. I think even he would tell the same thing. Yet it is like playing cricket by two teams on the same ground. We have been competitive as youths”.
Didn’t both of you sang “sawanika” at the same time?
“That happened because he asked for rights for that song when we too have applied for it. … Finally both of us got.And it was released as two songs.”
What about your political ideologies?
“We don’t have any ideology of joining politics. We just want to continue what we have to do. But as citizens we will agree to the Leader whoever is in power.”
You joined the campaign asking to vote for the “sensitive Leader”. Didn’t you?
“Actually what happened was totally another story. My father was in the army and he passed away before the war was over. When my father passed away in 2000 we thought that it was in vain since it was a never ending war. But after we won the war we were glad about my father too. In order to express our gratitude we thought of doing that.”
When was your father in the war front?
“My father Nihal Jayakody , was Major General from 1982 to 2000. He was working in many places. He died of sudden heart attack when he was the General in Jaffna. He served the army from 35 to 55 of his age and he didn’t even have time to be with us. Whatever the other people say, only the family experiences what it is like to lose one’s father.”
Haven’t you ever had problems with Santhush?
“Many people are surprised to hear this. We create issues when it comes to productions, but that doesn’t go beyond one point and they are resolved amicably after discussions.
A lot of friendships are broken when problems are discussed relating things that are not related to the main issue. That doesn’t happen to us.”
How are your personal lives?
“I have a daughter who is 3 years old. Santhush has a son who is only 4 months old. Both wives are housewives, they were working before marriage. We get support from their relatives as well.”
Do you have a good team support?
“Actually our main energy is our team spirit. We have a team of 14 who does arranging dancing, clothing …etc., when we organize a concert. We have ‘Sarigama’ studio to make our work easy for us.”
You visit countries very often. Where haven’t you been yet?
“We go abroad every year and we visit at least 8 to 9 countries. But unlike those days nowadays visits are restricted only for a week or two. We haven’t been only to theAfrican continent and the South American continent.”
We heard that “Podi Malli” is a friend from school. Who are the others?
“Yes, He was at Ananda.College. Sahan Ranwala was in a junior class, one year or so. Then, Kasun Kalhara too was there he was about 4 years junior to us. There are a lot who had become popular artists who have hailed from Ananda”.
If you brief on plans for the future?
“These days we are working on the video of “Hoiya, hoiya” song and it will be released within 2 or 3 weeks. Like what we did with a song with Asha Bosle and Hari Haran we are planning to do a song with another European singer as well. Still we are only making initial plans.”
Bathiya speaking about Ringing tone issue from HERE
Amarasiri Peiris speaking about Ringing tone issue from HERE:
had been done by ‘Torana’music company.We are not politicized
We don’t have any problems with Iraj
Santhush’s son is still 4 months old…"
Bathiya speaks about rumours
Last month the famous singer Amarasiri Peiris had made a statement to the media complaining that two young musicians, started the lucrative ringing tone business in Sri Lanka. He said that his song “Landune” had been used in ringing tones without his permission and that they have been earning lacks and lacks through this ringing tone racket.
Since the two musicians were not named many media had interpreted it to be Bathiya and Santhush.
In order to find the truth behind this we (Gossip Lanka) met Bathiya Jayakody. He told that they are not related to any of these and that in fact they have contacted Amarasiri Peiris to get to know whether he had made any comment about them.
When we contacted Amarasiri Peiris to know further information, he had
stated that he has not mentioned their names to any media.After further investigations it was revealed to us that Torana had been using the songs for ringing tones. It showed us that the names of Bathiya and Santhush have been used to distort the truth. We spoke on this matter when we met Bathiya Jayakody.
Read our discussion from below:
Why has ringing tone business become a medium for the musicians to earn money?
The story begins like this… in 1960s there were only recording discs…cassettes came in 1970s…CDs came in 1980s…but now many can listen and download music online for free and obtain s Mp 3 songs which could be taken for ringing tones. As a result now CDs are not sold much. Thus, the only medium for a composer or a musician could earn is from ringing tones and from CDs.
Aren’t the CDs selling at all?
Even out of the best musicians only 5000 to 8000 CDs could be sold. Maximum would be about 10,000. Many can’t earn even their expenditure for the production due to this free Mp3 racket.
Do you have problems with the copy right holder of songs?
No one has problems as such these days because we work after signing contracts. Those issues were there in the past. Those days only one person used to create, compose or write songs. After that a music company produces the CDs or the cassettes. Since they don’t sign an agreement, all of them fight for their rights saying that they own the song. Even the income is divided in different ways. Recently the government formulated a regulation asking to pay Rupees 3 when songs are played over the air through numerous media. Yet there were no mention about who was going to monitor them.
So what is this ringing tone racket?
This is called a racket since there is no legal owner. Those days, the ownership is given only to just one music company. But along with the changes that had taken place nowadays, different companies use different ways to earn money. When the songs are taken as ringing tones some even don’t bother to inform it to the musicians. Thus the income is spilt in an unjustifiable manner, that is how it has become a racket.
Was it about You two that Amarasiri Peiris mentioned regarding the ringing tone racket?
“We are not at all related to Amarasiri Peiris “Landune” song. After I got to know about it I spoke to Amarasiri aiya. I told him that it had been done by Torana Music Company. He said that he didn’t mention our names. He said that the interviewer had added to his version and published it. He asked what he should do. We are been blamed and made guilty for irresponsible work done by media…we had got suspected falsely caught and even the media questions us…I think the authorities haven’t advised them properly and that’s why these things keep happening.”
Note: when we contacted Amarasiri Peiris he said that he did not mention the names of Bathiya and Santhush and that he doesn’t know how such a story was woven. Listen to the voice recordings of both Bathiya and Amarasiri Peiris at the end.
Is the relationship with the old generation of the field good?
We are very close to people like Sanath Nandasiri, Edward Jayakody,Rohana Weerasinghe, Lakshman Wijesekara etc. Likewise there is also a group who criticizes us since they are unable to distinguish the difference between the world and us. But we are not going to respond to them…we look at them as children who never go against their parents how much ever they scold us.
You have been criticized for remixing others’ songs? Haven’t you?
“There have been people who had criticized us without finding really what is right and wrong. When we sang “Siri Sngabodi Maligawedi” we were criticized for remixing Buddha. They told that we even stole it. Those words are spoken by the person who has gone to kill the king.
We have legally bought it. Out of the 140 songs we have done, there are only 4 remixed songs. We have taken only “Manu Sath Kule”and “Ethnic woman” from folk music. We used them because we were proud to call them ours. All of them were sung with the permission of the respective owners. We have mentioned that clearly in our CD covers this information as well. There are some who don’t like one quality or style of us and then they criticize everything of us”.
Your generation has issues with Iraj. Isn’t that so?
“We never had issues with Iraj. I think even he would tell the same thing. Yet it is like playing cricket by two teams on the same ground. We have been competitive as youths”.
Didn’t both of you sang “sawanika” at the same time?
“That happened because he asked for rights for that song when we too have applied for it. … Finally both of us got.And it was released as two songs.”
What about your political ideologies?
“We don’t have any ideology of joining politics. We just want to continue what we have to do. But as citizens we will agree to the Leader whoever is in power.”
You joined the campaign asking to vote for the “sensitive Leader”. Didn’t you?
“Actually what happened was totally another story. My father was in the army and he passed away before the war was over. When my father passed away in 2000 we thought that it was in vain since it was a never ending war. But after we won the war we were glad about my father too. In order to express our gratitude we thought of doing that.”
When was your father in the war front?
“My father Nihal Jayakody , was Major General from 1982 to 2000. He was working in many places. He died of sudden heart attack when he was the General in Jaffna. He served the army from 35 to 55 of his age and he didn’t even have time to be with us. Whatever the other people say, only the family experiences what it is like to lose one’s father.”
Haven’t you ever had problems with Santhush?
“Many people are surprised to hear this. We create issues when it comes to productions, but that doesn’t go beyond one point and they are resolved amicably after discussions.
A lot of friendships are broken when problems are discussed relating things that are not related to the main issue. That doesn’t happen to us.”
How are your personal lives?
“I have a daughter who is 3 years old. Santhush has a son who is only 4 months old. Both wives are housewives, they were working before marriage. We get support from their relatives as well.”
Do you have a good team support?
“Actually our main energy is our team spirit. We have a team of 14 who does arranging dancing, clothing …etc., when we organize a concert. We have ‘Sarigama’ studio to make our work easy for us.”
You visit countries very often. Where haven’t you been yet?
“We go abroad every year and we visit at least 8 to 9 countries. But unlike those days nowadays visits are restricted only for a week or two. We haven’t been only to theAfrican continent and the South American continent.”
We heard that “Podi Malli” is a friend from school. Who are the others?
“Yes, He was at Ananda.College. Sahan Ranwala was in a junior class, one year or so. Then, Kasun Kalhara too was there he was about 4 years junior to us. There are a lot who had become popular artists who have hailed from Ananda”.
If you brief on plans for the future?
“These days we are working on the video of “Hoiya, hoiya” song and it will be released within 2 or 3 weeks. Like what we did with a song with Asha Bosle and Hari Haran we are planning to do a song with another European singer as well. Still we are only making initial plans.”
Bathiya speaking about Ringing tone issue from HERE
Amarasiri Peiris speaking about Ringing tone issue from HERE: