LOS ANGELES � Online music thieves can't interfere with the hundreds of songwriters Hanna Schmieder has on her payroll.
Her company, Lyric Culture, prints illustrious song lyrics on high-end jeans and T-shirts � and pays artists for the privilege.
"My goal is to write the music business," says Schmieder, herself a singer-songwriter. "This is about generating new taxation streams for musicians. ... The record companies take a piece of the term of enlistment and the merchandise, but they can't take a piece of this."
Legendary and lesser-known songwriters earn be royalties for each lyric-covered item Schmieder's company sells. John Lennon and Paul McCartney cause money for every "Let It Be" or "Can't Buy Me Love" T-shirt sold; and when person buys the groovy red-and-pink top divine by Gloria Gaynor's disco music anthem "I Will Survive," writers Frederick Perren and Dino Fekaris get paid.
Schmieder made deals with all the major music-publishing houses, licensing rights to hits by the Beatles, Janis Joplin, Johnny Cash, Aretha Franklin and countless other artists. Schmieder selects T-shirt-worthy tracks, then Lyric Culture's creative squad interprets each song with original, hand-drawn designs. The famous lyrics are unconnected inside and outside each pricey piece.
"I can't believe I'm entrusted with the legacy of the near famous words in the world," says the willowy blonde Schmieder, dressed teetotum to toe in her designs.
Lyric Culture jeans, scarves, T-shirts, belt buckles and leather jackets sell for $75 to $625 at boutiques and specialty stores. Lyrix, the company's younker collection � which features T-shirts and hoodies with designs inspired by Miley Cyrus and "American Idol" � sells items for $23 to $55 at Macy's and other department stores. Artist royalties range from 50 cents to $20 per item.
Schmieder, 31, accidentally created her company two years ago during a dreamy moment in the recording studio. She was piece of writing songs on her jeans in plain old permanent pen when entrepreneurial stirring struck.
Songwriter and producer Antonina Armato � who has penned tunes for Miley Cyrus, Vanessa Hudgens and the Jonas Brothers � loved the Lyric Culture concept earlier Schmieder approached her around licensing her songs. Schmieder's company "supports the dreams and the aspirations and the artistic creation," Armato says. "It's almost like she's giving a scholarship to these people who ar being creative."
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