🖕🏽 Copyright 🖕🏽
Whilst some artists consider it to be an honour for other artists to choose their material for a cover version, remix or some other kind of tribute, there are those who will fiercely protest at every opportunity, issuing copyright notices if a few chords sound even the slightest bit similar.
Others, adopt a view that the "owner" of said sounds is that person who can best make use of it for the purpose it is intended, i.e: for the audience's entertainment and auditory pleasure. After all, there are sufficient listeners, so that a dozen artists may perform without stealing any significant amount of revenue from the others. What matters is that as many listeners benefit from by hearing it - more likely if an artist whose work reaches to whence from they can access their preferred music.
When the popularity of EDM (Electronic Dance Music) erupted in the latter part of the 1980s within the underground rave scene offered some respite for disillusioned, despondent young Brits. Left without hope for a future in a climate epitomised by hate, violence and all consuming avarice, such that capitalism (by it's nature) demands.
Unlike popular commercial music produced for maximum appeal, the arrangement and production of EDM lay in the hands of the DJ. By mixing and scratching samples, selected from pre-recorded records, film, TV and pop culture references (some described as "butchering them), they delivered a metaphorical British to fingered salute to the "ownership" of sound. In the spirit of rave - P.L.U.R. (peace, love, unity, respect) - EDM's success rapidly ballooned beyond the members of generation X that had refused to sink beneath the same mire, into which their aspirations & dreams had been consumed.
Through huge speakers, corresponding with the dancefloor (filled to capacity with a united congregation) and strobe lighting - hands aloft - young, old, black, white, boys, girls, rich, poor - for that brief time, no animosity, judgement or threat could interject itself.
The K.L.F. (The JAMS- Justified and Ancients of Mumu) a.k.a. "The Timelords", who had a #1 single in 1988 with Doctorin' the Tardis - a mash-up of Blockbuster by The Sweet, Rock and Roll by Gary Glitter and the theme tune from Doctor Who - were strong proponents of the "fair use" loophole. They followed up the #1 single with a #1 best selling book entitled "How to write a #1 hit single". That fine line between genius and madness you've surely heard of - that applies right here.
They drove to Sweden in their old American police car, intent upon confronting members of the Eurovision winning group ABBA when they refused to permit the aforementioned "fair use". Unable to locate them, Caulty and Drummond spent the ferry trip home tossing records overboard like frisbees. Undoubtedly, they went ahead and rinsed that ABBA track until it dissolved anyway. 🙂
Together, they created, performed, recorded, cut, promoted and distributed all the works on their own record label, including duets with global stars Tammy Wynette, Whitney Houston, 2 unlimited, The pet shop boys, The moody blues, Extreme Noise Terror, The Red Army Choir and Acid Bass.
Using the name Kopyright Liberation Front they released a studio recording of the Rites of Mu track (1997). They later gained notoriety with a series of exploits, intended to convey a statement that was generally lost in translation, or just didn't quite live up to their carefully crafted plans. Sacrificing a sheep, emptying a machine gun into the audience, staging an elaborate party on the island of Jura in the Scottish Hebrides, where guests including journalists and friends were greeted by the pair, clad in official uniforms waiting to inspect luggage and rubber stamp passports before issuing robes for The Rites of Mu.
Being the best selling artists in the UK (1991) , the duo had used income to cover taxes and production costs, then decided to call it a day. Ever popular, money continued flowing in, leaving them with little but a plan for a swift exit, slamming the door behind them and shoving the key through the letterbox, so there could be no return - but what was to be done with the money? October 1993 revealed; "Nailed to the wall", the first artwork by The K Foundation. Entitled "Money: A Major Body of Cash"; £1 million nailed to a pine frame, it was revealed to the press with the foundation's announcing the winner of their "Worst artist of the year" award. During the ensuing year they negotiated with galleries that inevitably backed away, seemingly nervous about the personalities involved. When an idea to take an uninsurable £1 million to Russia and America fell by the wayside, there only seemed to be a single foolproof answer.
6 weeks later, Caughty & Drummond, with freelance journalist Jim Reid as a witness squashed into a small aircraft (made smaller by the sacks full of £50 notes) and made the trip back to Jura. In the fireplace or an abandoned boat house there, for more than an hour the pair fed £50 notes into the flames. Incineration has a cathartic effect on the mind.
Once again, they faced a barrage of insults, accusations, slurs and condemnation for doing something in private, with their own pieces of paper that they had earned almost single handedly. Surely those people had only one concern and that was their own greed. Money does not bring the happiness that is essential on this life. In fact, such large sums are definitely a hindrance to obtaining the genuine heartfelt human interactions that are vital for the maintenance of physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. Nobody tells you what you can and can't do with your income, so... ---
Leaving a dead sheep on the doorstep of the BBC outside the filming of "The Brit Awards", The Kopyright Liberation Front had left the building. On 3rd November 1995, signing a contract on the side of a Nissan Bluebird; which had then been pushed over the cliffs at Cape Wrath in northern Scotland - agreeing to wind up the K Foundation and not to speak about the money burning of the million quid for a period of 23 years... and that was that.
2 guys who had wanted nothing but to bring some joy to their audience had been bullied and driven to the very edge by idiots like Julian Cope who thinks that money was his. strange because in my extensive collection, I have no recollection of seeing his talentless arse even once, peeking out of a roadie's van. The real artists with notable substance to contribute, had done so happily and without yelling at a vulnerable person. If you know any truly outstanding musicians..or perhaps you've attempted to write a book... You'll know how damned hard it is and how unhelpful behaviour like that is going to do a lot of harm.
When I went to check on that collection, i discovered that much of it had gone. K2 plant hire had quietly withdrawn their entire back catalogue.. for what?
Kopyright
You joyless, bitter twazzocks!!
On 23rd August 2017, rested and driving a pink ice-cream van whilst handing out books, as a delighted crowd welcomed them back.
The worthiness of all things in this world cannot necessarily be measured measured according to the mercenary sell-out scale.
The white room album is listed in the "100 albums that you need to hear before you die" list.
Snob
Producer
His dad listened to the skids, the slits and the slates
So Sammy listened too, he loved the passion in it
He loved the feeling in his spine with every snare hit
One day his dad bought the Sunday rag
Came with a CD of Mozart and a TV mag
The TV was broke so he put the CD on and listened
And his eyes lit up and his smile, it glistened
He had never known that music could have so many layers
Different emotions placed upon different parts and players
Each week he waited for the next free CD
To put on his headphones and get lost completely
So he saved all his money, one goal in mind
To go down to a performance and see this live
It took eight long months to raise these funds
But the excitement was immense when that day did come
With his pockets full of coins he got the bus to the city
He watched the view become less shitty and gritty
Even though he was alone in this big dark place
Nothing could remove the smile from his face
When he arrived, everyone was in suits
Sammy stood there in tatty jeans and boots
He slammed his coins on the counter "one ticket please"
But the guy turned up his nose like he was gonna sneeze
He looked away and served the next couple suited and booted
But Sammy stood his ground and asked again less muted
They laughed and someone sneered "Get out of here pikey
Appreciation on your level seems less than likely"
Tears built up in little Sammy's eyes
It seemed his place in society he could not hide
His head dropped for a minute but then his head was held
He looked them in the eyes as he screamed and yelled
He said...
Stop being a snob with ya music
It's made to be heard man, anyone can use it
Ya get so damn precious sometimes
It's just rhythms and rhymes and melodies in time
There was this other kid, she lived on the outskirts of Leicester
Her friends called her Frankie, her parents Francesca
I gotta admit she was kind of ignorant
But the kind you expect of wealth and affluence
No offence! She just lived in a different world
With different priorities, a real status girl
Her musical taste were an NME playlist
And anything recommended by the rich and famous
Now one day she was buying tunes online
She'd just got into Beck five years out of time
When she went to download Midnight Vultures
She got confused and grabbed Midnight Marauders
The only hip hop she knew was when that boy Kanye
Got featured in her mag doing a track with Coldplay
But as she reached to turn it off Q-Tip started to speak
And in that split second somehow he connected deep
She sat up, 'til god knows what time
Hunting for more beats, breaks and rhymes
She could barely believe that music so far from her role
Could resonate and connect to the root of her soul
She woke late the next day and hit the record store
She'd found a lot of dope tracks but she wanted more
She walked in and went straight to the guy at the desk
She said, "I'm loving De La Soul and a Tribe Called Quest
I've heard good things about Rakim and KRS
So I'm looking for advice on what's the best of the best"
The guys looked at each other, raised an eyebrow and smiled
And they looked back at her like a little lost child
Then they laughed "little posh girl getting her ghetto on?
Go back to daddy little girl this ain't where you belong"
She felt demoralized and stupid and all alone
And then she screamed in their faces with a visceral tone
She said...
Stop being a snob with ya music
It's made to be heard man, anyone can use it
Ya get so damn precious sometimes
It's just rhythms and rhymes and melodies in time
Producer
