So I’ve been working on putting together KHUBS Radio for a little while now and I thought what better time to announce it than on Grey Tuesday.
See, DJ Danger Mouse created a remixed album consisting of Jay-Z’s Black Album and the Beatles White Album, and called it the Grey Album. Jay-Z’s record label, Roc-A-Fella, released an a capella version of his Black Album specifically to encourage remixes like this one. However, EMI claims copyright control of the Beatles November 25, 1968 released, White Album. As a result, EMI has sent cease and desist letters demanding that stores destroy their copies of the album and that websites remove them from their sites. I personally feel that if sampled music is recorded in a respectful and artistically positive way, and that the end result is fundamentally different than the original, that artists should be able release their works without worry about copyright infringement. DJ Danger Mouse’s Grey Album does just that. I’m not sure what EMI is afraid of, the Grey Album is a completely new piece of art wonderfully different from what the Beatles created. I can’t imagine the Grey Album could have any effect on the sales of the incredibly popular (and rightfully so) White Album (except maybe introduce a few hip-hop fans that have somehow escaped the unavoidable genius that is the White Ablum).
The point is we cannot allow these corporations to continue censoring art; we need common-sense reforms to the copyright law that can make sampling legal and practical for artists. So for my part, in participation of GreyTuesday, which is sponsored by Downhill Battle, you can listen to DJ Danger Mouse’s Grey Album by clicking here or the KHUBS Radio link over there on the right for a pop-up to listen to while you’re doing other stuff. Enjoy!
Seems like the DJ might be able to argue that it’s a parody?
we talked about this at work today. i heard some of it, its pretty good.
This never would have happened if they’d sold the rights to Michael Jackson.
i wonder if paul and ringo like it?
i think its so awesome when artists or whoever put stuff out just to encourage people to do their own thing with it. being generous or a good sport is WAY better than being an asshole who lives to go to court.
see, I would love to say “screw the music companies,” bc generally they’ve been bastards lately, but my bro is a DJ – any DJ worth his salt knows you’re supposed to clear your samples, and that you risk being sued if you don’t. in general, hiphoppers have always either cleared their samples, decided to risk it, and/or figured they’re too obscure to be worth suing (which was often true).
and you could argue that its stealing.
i didnt need another reason to hate metallica. i wonder if theyre done with their suit against Victoria’s secret yet.
cool radio
erin – i would agree with you if it was the artist that actually ok’d or denied the DJ the sampling of their material. but all to often it is some large corporation that has the rights the music that is making this determination, regardless of the opinion of the original artist. DJ dangermouse has decided to risk it. EMI is not sueing him (he’s probably not rich enough to waste their time on), they’re asking the record stores to destroy the CD’s.
chevy – you crack me up. man, i can’t beleive lars and the tards are doing that. oh, wait, yeah i can.
elizabeth – thanks, i hope to switch up the music every week or so.