$1.5 million to the copyright holder of Fatback Band's 1980 song "Backstrokin'" for bassline Dr. Dre copied for his 2001 track "Let's Get High":
- Los Angeles jury awarded London-based Minder Music Ltd. less than half of the $3.5 million originally sought after hearing testimony from the music publisher as well as Dr. Dre.
U.S. District Judge Consuelo B. Marshall, however, has not yet signed the judgment.
Howard King, Dre's lawyer, believes the case will be thrown out because of inconsistencies within the jury's findings.
...."This matter has been going on for three years and we should never have had to go to court; needless to say the cost was horrendous," said Minder Music's music director, John Fogarty, who testified in the trial. "However, it's a great day for music publishing. The notion that someone can take someone else's work and put their own name down as creator is outrageous."
The Fatback Band have been sampled or covered more than 80 times by acts ranging from Monica to Fatboy Slim to Everlast, according to Fogarty. [MTV]
The jury called Dre's action "innocent infringement" but spanked him for the $15.M anyway.
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