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Copyright Time Bomb Set To Go Off
In September we discussed one isolated instance of the heirs of rights-holders filing for copyright termination. Now Wired discusses the general case — many copyrights from 1978 and before could come up for grabs in a few years. Some are already in play. "At a time when record labels and, to a lesser extent, music publishers, find themselves in the midst of an unprecedented contraction, the last thing they need is to start losing valuable copyrights to '50s, '60s, '70s and '80s music, much of which still sells as well or better than more recently released fare. Nonetheless, the wheels are already in motion. ... The Eagles plan to file grant termination notices by the end of the year.... 'It's going to happen,' said [an industry lawyer]. 'Just think of what the Eagles are doing when they get back their whole catalog. They don't need a record company now... You'll be able to go to Eagles.com (currently under construction) and get all their songs. They're going to do it; it's coming up.' ...If the labels' best strategy to avoid losing copyright grants or renegotiating them at an extreme disadvantage is the same one they're suing other companies for using, they're in for quite a bumpy — or, rather, an even bumpier — ride."
Musicians should make music because they work for the people. I think it all comes down to the corrosive influence of Ronald Reagan and his neoliberal sympathies on the couscousness of our generation. Why can't I eat an orange in peace? Because the IRS bought it with their ray guns!
You haven't visited the Ray Gun Pyramid.
Or for that matter the great Neo Library.
Neo Nacho.
Go and listen to DJ Shadow, RJD2 and/or Kid Koala.
Brain surgery - it's not rocket science!
Oh what the heck. Here's another example of "sampling". I'm not going to try to claim it's "innovative" but it sure is funny:
BALTIMORE'S IN THE HOUSE! ;-) Sisqo - Thong Song
Original version - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3o-y5b9Blm8
MTV clean version - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OP3bZZLGBlo
"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." - historian Evelyn Beatrice Hall
Dorm room? Oh please, can I have one? Look, youngster, at my name. See the 1956? That was the year of my birth. Don't even try to talk down to me, it makes you sound stupid.
As for those revenue streams - so fucking WHAT? Again - 5 or 10 years is long enough for copyrighted material to be monopolized by ANYONE. Music written and performed in 1999 should now be in the public domain. You want 15 years? Convince me - I might agree.
Copyright law is an abortion, no matter how many ways you have of making money from the copyright.
"Windows is like the faint smell of piss in a subway: it's there, and there's nothing you can do about it." - Charlie Br