French dance gurus Justice offered a little lawyer-bait in an interview with MTV, revealing that they didn’t bother to clear many of the samples they used on their debut album, Cross. Speaking to MTV, Gaspard Auge and Xavier de Rosnay confirmed what many fans have suspected for a while when they said: “we sample really… Read More Justice Blatantly Rips Off Samples
There’s a great article by Suzanne Vega today at the New York Times. In it, Vega talks about her song Tom’s Diner getting remixed, illegally, by DNA: We were backstage at the Arsenio Hall show when my manager told me that some boys calling themselves DNA, in England — Bath, to be specific — had… Read More Suzanne Vega On Getting Remixed Illegally
Beatportal talked to Richie Hawtin recently, and and he had some interesting thoughts on music copyright law. Hawtin suggests that digital technology makes current copyright laws obsolete: “Every track these days should be considered a work in progress,” says Hawtin. “Everything is version 1.0, and anybody should be allowed to take your ideas and add… Read More Richie Hawtin: Every Track Is Version 1.0 Today
Unbefriggingbelievable. Violent crime is on the rise in the US. We can’t find Osama Bin Laden in seven years. Millions of illegal aliens are hiding in the country, gainfully employed. And we’re arresting music bloggers. A Los Angeles blogger has been arrested for allegedly sharing music online. Twenty-seven-year-old Kevin Cogill was arrested by FBI agents at… Read More FBI Arrests Music Blogger
Remember German samplemeister Johannes Kreidler and his piece Product Placements – the song that supposedly smashes 70,200 samples into a 34 second work? He’s released it and you can preview it above. Special prize to the first person to name all 70,200 samples….. It’s a lot more interesting as an idea than a piece of… Read More 70,200 Samples In 34 Seconds
Avant Garde samplemeister Johannes Kriedler is using his latest work, product placements, to create a nightmare for GEMA (the German RIAA, and explore the ways that copyrights limit art in the process. Here’s the text of his announcement: If you want to register a song at GEMA (RIAA, ASCAP of Germany) you have to fill… Read More Avant Garde Samplemeister Creates Nightmare for German RIAA
RIAA Mix – Bring on da Noise! Bring on da Funk! Claire Chanel and Scary Sherman finally figured out what is up with those crazy, noise-filled downloads that are flooding peer-to-peer networks. They are cutting edge noise-art, courtesy of the RIAA. Claire Chanel and Scary Sherman have been keeping busy. First they put together the… Read More New RIAA Remix Site Says Bring On Da Noise!
Banned Music is a web project that promotes music activism, especially the non-commercial distribution of works that major record labels have driven underground. The site is one of several that are raising important questions about the role that the law plays in determining what we can experience. The site is a project of Downhill Battle,… Read More Banned Music
Musicians using samplers are faced with an unique set of legal problems. Using samples of copyrighted works has become a minefield, often just best avoided. Now new licenses from Creative Commons promise to make it easier for samplists to find samples they can use without fear of getting sued. Sampling and lawsuits have gone hand… Read More Free Samples Go Legit with New Creative Commons Sampling Licences
Underground remixes are suddenly getting attention all over the Internet. Nothing is hotter than Jay-Z and the Grey Album remix. Some may think this is just another example of people trying to get something for free. Others, however, see this as a type of civil disobedience, and ask why three or four companies should get… Read More Illegal Remixes Rage Through the Internet
