Jurors Hit Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams With $7.4 Million In "Blurred Lines" Verdict
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http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-blurred-lines-copyright-trial-verdict-20150310-story.html
Rightfully so, a couple years ago when I was taking my daughter to school I heard the song for the first time. I can remember saying that's an old R&B bassline but I couldnt think of it at the time. I later remembered it's from a Marvin Gaye song....this hopefully will bring changes in the music industry to pay attention to copyrights infringement.
This one was pretty obvious, what do you think?
Peace
Rightfully so, a couple years ago when I was taking my daughter to school I heard the song for the first time. I can remember saying that's an old R&B bassline but I couldnt think of it at the time. I later remembered it's from a Marvin Gaye song....this hopefully will bring changes in the music industry to pay attention to copyrights infringement.
This one was pretty obvious, what do you think?
Peace
*We CAN bomb the World to pieces, but we CAN'T bomb it into PEACE*...Michael Franti
*MUSIC IS the expression of EMOTION.....and that POLITICS IS merely the DECOY of PERCEPTION*
.....song_Music & Politics....Michael Franti
*The scientists of today think deeply instead of clearly. One must be sane to think clearly, but one can think deeply and be quite INSANE*....Nikola Tesla(a man who shaped our world of electricity with his futuristic inventions)
*MUSIC IS the expression of EMOTION.....and that POLITICS IS merely the DECOY of PERCEPTION*
.....song_Music & Politics....Michael Franti
*The scientists of today think deeply instead of clearly. One must be sane to think clearly, but one can think deeply and be quite INSANE*....Nikola Tesla(a man who shaped our world of electricity with his futuristic inventions)
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Gotta also say, as bad as the rip off itself was, the pre-emptive lawsuit against Marvin Gaye's estate to try to PREVENT them from suing Pharrell and Thicke was what made me permanently mad at both of them. Pharrell is a talented guy, but this pissed me off.
Once in awhile... justice is served.
Yeah, OK buddy.
Peace
*MUSIC IS the expression of EMOTION.....and that POLITICS IS merely the DECOY of PERCEPTION*
.....song_Music & Politics....Michael Franti
*The scientists of today think deeply instead of clearly. One must be sane to think clearly, but one can think deeply and be quite INSANE*....Nikola Tesla(a man who shaped our world of electricity with his futuristic inventions)
www.headstonesband.com
Unbelievable that they actually claim to have written it!
I'm glad justice prevailed even though it'll probably be tied up in litigation for years.
The good part is that young folks will learn who Marvin Gaye was.
Tom O.
"I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve. Jesus, does anyone?"
-The Writer
Remember the song I want candy by Bow Wow Wow? It's a Bo Didley song, no one sued.
The solo at the end of Jump in the fire by Metallica? That's Free bird, again no one sued...
I could go on and on. I believe sampling should be allowed. Chuck D was fighting this years ago.
Oh well...
I have seen many rock artists who do this. "song X contains portions of this song by this artist". I have even seen artists who flat out say "this song was inspired by this song", basically saying "yeah, I realize I ripped this off, but it's more of an homage, not a direct steal". Ed just recently admitted this about I Got Shit and Cinnamon Girl. he didn't realize it at the time he wrote it, though, apparently.
www.headstonesband.com
Re: Bow Wow Wow, first of all I Want Candy was a cover (Bow Wow Wow did not write it), and 2nd, it was a great example of one of many people who used the "Bo Diddley Beat", which is a rhythmic structure, but not a melody per se. So while Bow Wow Wow (and Buddy Holly and Bruce Springsteen) all used that rhythm for sure, it's not as easy to sue for copyright on just the rhythm and say someone stole it. Blurred Lines stole not just a beat but an entire melody and song structure.
Sampling should be allowed and is allowed. You just have to acknowlege you're using someone else's work to build something new, and pay them to use their work. You can't use parts of someone else's film or t.v. show or book without getting copyright rights - why should music be different?
See what I don't get is that it IS an exact copy of the melody and chorus and structure of that Bo Didley song how come no one was sued?
I know Metallica loves Lynard Skynard but I've never heard anyone say "this is a homage to them"
So to say all that I come back to this.
"Why do some get sued and others not?!?"
Neither of the above asked permission nor acknowledged.
That's what blows my mind about this...
www.headstonesband.com
I've read nowhere that Metallica asked to use that part and I read EVERYTHING Metallica back in the day.
I remember a Warrant song "down Boys" ripping off the Cars' Bye bye love too...
http://www.okayplayer.com/news/robin-thicke-sues-marvin-gayes-family-blurred-lines.html
Peace
*MUSIC IS the expression of EMOTION.....and that POLITICS IS merely the DECOY of PERCEPTION*
.....song_Music & Politics....Michael Franti
*The scientists of today think deeply instead of clearly. One must be sane to think clearly, but one can think deeply and be quite INSANE*....Nikola Tesla(a man who shaped our world of electricity with his futuristic inventions)
I have read where Diddley was frustrated that so many used it and he didn't get paid, but I don't know why no one sued except maybe in early days it just wasn't done? If it happened now, pretty sure he'd win, although in truth he didn't "invent" the rhythm, it existed in a lot of places (hand jive/jocamo (sp?), and kids hand clap games from waaaaaay back).
As for Didley and the statement above, I was not aware that he was upset about his music being used.
Generally speaking, in the past, it has taken a melody to be validated as a true ripoff. Chord progressions and grooves have never been enough to win a lawsuit in the past. This sets the precedent that will create a huge backlog of lawsuits. I can think of a lot of songs that are much closer comparisons.
In some of my guitar adventures, I've dabbled with a little writing and a few times I've heard a song and thought id like to write a song with a similar structure. Well those songs have inevitably turned out wildly different than the inspiration. On the other hand, I could definitely believe that more accomplished musicians with more musical ears attempt the same thing, but sorta overdo it, and get a little close for comfort.
On other boards I've seen some, that are seemingly in the know about the back rooms of the music industry, point out that often a band will literally record a song over an other artist's tune, then take the original tune out. That to me is pretty messed up. I could also see something like this being what happened here.
Whatever the appeals courts decide, I hope they make the write call.
they should have to change the "#Thicke" to "#Theif"...
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
Re: Diddley, I can't remember if it's in a biography or where, but yes, he said something like he felt like he opened the door to rock music and all these other musicians raced through the door and left him holding the knob. That is a an approximate quote, and he was talking about both recognition for shaping rock, and what people got paid.
Lll
Ears
They were indeed. It appears this might have been a case of greed. In that in the beginning RT & PW did not know whether this song BL Was going to be a mega hit. Once it became a mega hit they tried to head off the Gaye family by suing them first hoping they would not pursue the case any further. Awful ballsy of them but it has come back to bite them.
If they knew from the start this song was going to be huge the simple thing would have been to just compensate the Gaye family. They knew how close or that their song BL was an outright rip of Gaye's song but chose to go to a jury trial and got their ass handed to them.
Peace
*MUSIC IS the expression of EMOTION.....and that POLITICS IS merely the DECOY of PERCEPTION*
.....song_Music & Politics....Michael Franti
*The scientists of today think deeply instead of clearly. One must be sane to think clearly, but one can think deeply and be quite INSANE*....Nikola Tesla(a man who shaped our world of electricity with his futuristic inventions)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03yPUlBE5OU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rQxI3-xSeg
*MUSIC IS the expression of EMOTION.....and that POLITICS IS merely the DECOY of PERCEPTION*
.....song_Music & Politics....Michael Franti
*The scientists of today think deeply instead of clearly. One must be sane to think clearly, but one can think deeply and be quite INSANE*....Nikola Tesla(a man who shaped our world of electricity with his futuristic inventions)
It's only in like a million songs...
Typo Man: "Thanks kidz, but remembir, stay in skool!"
I'm paraphrasing but his point was that I don't think they care.
'10- MSG 1-2 '11- PJ20
'12- MIA; DeLuna '13- Wrigley; Pitt; Brooklyn 1-2; Philly 1-2; Baltimore; Seattle
'14- Denver '16- Philly 1-2; MSG 2
'17- Pilgrimage Music Fest (Eddie)
'18- Fenway
When I first heard the comparisons I thought it was a total rip-off, and it's not exactly difficult to dislike Robin Thicke, but listening to the actual melodies it's not a direct rip - in fact I bet they purposefully made sure the melody was different enough to avoid such suits, since the rest of the song's musical elements are virtually the same!