Kraftwerk sample case overturned

[ronP]

oo


Interesting, FYI . . .


Kraftwerk sample case overturned

A court in Germany has told electronic band Kraftwerk that a producer who sampled one of their songs was not violating copyright.

The ruling overturns an earlier decision against Moses Pelham's use of a short sample from Metal on Metal.

Judges in Berlin said the two second extract did not infringe copyright, as his song was substantially different.

The move will come as a blow to artists who object to rivals using samples of their work to create new songs.

Kraftwerk's case was originally heard in a state court in Hamburg.

It ruled in Kraftwerk's favour and said reusing even the shortest bit of a song infringed copyright.

In light of today's ruling, the Hamburg court will now have to take up the case again.

The Kraftwerk sample appeared in the rhythm section of a song Pelham produced for German rapper Sabrina Setlur in 1997.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7740515.stm


oo

[pflosi]

interesting turn

[Johnny Lenin]

Wasw Afrika Bambaata ever sued for sampling Kraftwerk in Planet Rock?

[pricklyrobot]

Wasw Afrika Bambaata ever sued for sampling Kraftwerk in Planet Rock?

Yep. Don't know what, if anything, they got beyond songwriting credit on subsequent pressings of Planet Rock.

“The melody of the song, Trans-Europe Express, and the percussion from Numbers, taken from the Computer World album, were used as the basis for the song Planet Rock, recorded and released by Afrika Bambaataa and the Soulsonic Force in 1982.[8] Kraftwerk were originally uncredited as authors for the song, which led to a successful lawsuit brought on by the group against Bambaataa and Tommy Boy Records.”

[pricklyrobot]

The article linked to didn't really go into specifics, and I don't know to what extent German law is analogous to US law, but it seems like this might be a case of mechanical rights versus publishing rights.

Specifically, the defendant here may have licensed the recording from which he sampled, but he didn't pay publishing rights to use the song on which the Kraftwerk recording is based. Typically, you'd only be expected to pay publishing rights in addition to mechanical rights (aka: sample clearance fee) if you were re-using a significant portion of the song (i.e. lifting an entire melody and chorus lyrics, a la Puff Daddy), but Kraftwerk may be trying to push the legal envelope here in an attempt to exert greater control on how, even paid-for, samples are used.

Again, this is pure speculation on my part, based on the limited information provided in the article.

[xpander]

free the samples!

[wiss]

I was always under the impression that "rhythm" could never be copyrighted...

[pricklyrobot]

I was always under the impression that "rhythm" could never be copyrighted...

In general, that's right. You can't copyright a beat the way you can a melody (although obviously you can control the rights to a particular recording of a beat). But, the law, by nature, is always open to interpretation. It's conceivable that you might be able to convince a judge that your particular beat is so unique (or is being used in such a unique manner) and is so integral to the song in which it features, that allowing someone else to use said beat in a different context might confuse the public and degrade the value of your original song.

[hageir]

free the samples!

[tallowwaters]

Nice to see greed lose again. If those Krauts want more money they can work for it like the rest of us.

What the h**l is wrong with German musicians anyhow? f**k Neubauten wanted like 50 f**k USD for their CDs at their show. Assholes.

[pricklyrobot]

Nice to see greed lose again. If those Krauts want more money they can work for it like the rest of us.

What if it's not about money, but rather about having a say in how, and by whom, your recordings are re-purposed?

In theory, I'm in favor of sampling, but I have to admit I'd be pretty upset if a piece of my work ended up, unbeknown to me, in something as godawful as this.

[Johnny Lenin]

In theory, I'm in favor of sampling, but I have to admit I'd be pretty upset if a piece of my work ended up, unbeknown to me, in something as godawful as this.

I have no idea how it would work in the United States, but you might have a moral rights argument in that case.

[tallowwaters]

Nice to see greed lose again. If those Krauts want more money they can work for it like the rest of us.

What if it's not about money, but rather about having a say in how, and by whom, your recordings are re-purposed?

In theory, I'm in favor of sampling, but I have to admit I'd be pretty upset if a piece of my work ended up, unbeknown to me, in something as godawful as this.

Pft. The kind of people that would like that s**t wouldn't like the original version anyways. If P Diddy samples a song of mine and I see all the idiots at the club grinding on a pole to it, I couldnt give a rat's a*s, simply because idiots have ruined my s**t for my entire life. Like most of the smart people in world, I learned to dealwithit/cope/drink/sleep/kickthedog/beatthegirlfriend/whatever.

[divineaudio]

Nice to see greed lose again. If those Krauts want more money they can work for it like the rest of us.

What the h**l is wrong with German musicians anyhow? f**k Neubauten wanted like 50 f**k USD for their CDs at their show. Assholes.

i hear the economy in berlin is worse than the one in detroit. and that's pretty f**k bad.


after watching that you tube video i can see why kraftwerk is pissed off.

[D-Collector]

I hate musicians and producers who live off other people's work. Especially that asshole Timbaland or what the h**l his stupid name is, re-using melodies from old Amiga and C64 chiptunes and marketing them as his own. That is just low. LOW!


Yeah, I'm so f**king cool!! I'm the greatest musical genius on the f**king planet!!

Well, you may have some money now but you can't buy talent shithead...