We mentioned the controversy over the DJ Dangermouse remix of Jay-Z's Black Album and the Beatles White Album. This is very interesting, and I am very willing to help publicize it although I am not willing to host the actual files: I do not wish to break the law, but I am willing to support efforts to change bad law and am willing to show that support by "turning grey" next Tuesday, the 24th, as well.
My personal belief is that as long as creators are compensated for their work (which neither Jay-Z nor the Beatles have for The Grey Album), that the creators should NOT be able to control how their work is used - songwriters don't have that right.
Here are the facts on the protest from Downhill Battle:
- Tuesday, February 24 will be a day of coordinated civil disobedience: websites will post Danger Mouse's Grey Album on their site for 24 hours in protest of EMI's attempts to censor this work.
DJ Danger Mouse created a remix of Jay-Z's the 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 Ablum specifically to encourage remixes like this one. But despite praise from music fans and major media outlets like Rolling Stone ("an ingenious hip-hop record that sounds oddly ahead of its time") and the Boston Globe (which called it the "most creatively captivating" album of the year), EMI has sent cease and desist letters demanding that stores destroy their copies of the album and websites remove them from their site. EMI claims copyright control of the Beatles 1968 White Ablum.
Danger Mouse's album is one of the most "respectful" and undeniably positive examples of sampling; it honors both the Beatles and Jay-Z. Yet the lawyers and bureaucrats at EMI have shown zero flexibility and not a glimmer of interest in the artistic significance of this work. And without a clearly defined right to sample (e.g. compulsory licensing), the five major record labels will continue to use copyright in a reactionary and narrowly self-interested manner that limits and erodes creativity. Their actions are also self-defeating: good new music is being created that people want to buy, but the major labels are so obsessed with hoarding their copyrights that they are literally turning customers away.
This first-of-its-kind protest signals a refusal to let major label lawyers control what musicians can create and what the public can hear. The Grey Album is only one of the thousands of legitimate and valuable efforts that have been stifled by the record industry-- not to mention the ones that were never even attempted because of the current legal climate. We cannot allow these corporations to continue censoring art; we need common-sense reforms to copyright law that can make sampling legal and practical for artists.
Article comments
1 - Dew
I get it now!!
I listened to the album and I loved it. So far Threat and 99 Problems, as on the Black album, are my favorites. Danger did his thing on this album. Creatively I can only imagine what he was thinking. He had to be zoning on this one in order to come with such breaks and to mesh the albums in most cases seamlessly.
I believe this album would be one hell of a seller and I'm sure servers are being burnt out as we speak with people looking for this ingenious remix.
With all that praise out of the way I still have to say that artist should in most cases hold the rights to who is afforded opportunity to sample and use their music. In the same respects most artist, true artists that is, would see the artistic necessity in such an album as The Grey Album.
2 - Eric Olsen
Very interesting and perceptive thoughts Dew, thanks!
3 - Craig Lyndall
This is a really good album. I am not even a big hip-hop fan, but it is quite an impressive mix.
4 - Mark Saleski
happy grey tuesday everybody.
i did not download the album.
i am not enjoying it as i type this.
that would be (***shudder***) moral relativism.
;-)
5 - Al Barger
The Downhill Battle link isn't working. Any other convenient site I can go to?
6 - adam.b
I'm participating in Grey Tuesday.
I received a cease & decist letter yesterday.
My response to the cease and decist letter is posted here.
7 - Craig Lyndall
Despite all the other political issues, don't let it be lost that this album is really very well and creatively done.
8 - Brian Flemming
FYI, for anyone having trouble with the Downhill Battle or Illegal Art servers, the link to the album at my blog seems to be holding up.
9 - Al Barger
adam b- Thanks for the hook-up. I'ma jamming it now.
Thank you too, Brian.
10 - Mark Saleski
two thumbs up from me. loads 'o fun.
11 - Shark
Not only is the site black and white, but it's silent!
12 - Jim Carruthers
While some people have responded by quoting "Piggies" from The White Album, I think the Sex Pistols said it best:
Can the mainstream record companies screw themselves even more? First it is John Oswald, then Negativland, then the Evolution Control Committee, now Danger Mounse. Hey, EMI, guess what I'm not buying any of your albums until you apoligize, and I'm urging all of my record buying friends (y'know us adults who have disposible income). to boycott EMI. Assholes.
13 - Dave
Not my cup of tea, but good luck to 'em.
14 - Natalie Davis
Late to the party -- my blog is down or else I would've participated -- but I just got to hear the Grey Album. Wow! And The Man doesn't want the public to hear it. Fuckin' figures. Thanks to all who participated by posting the album and/or going grey for the day.
15 - Eric Olsen
Yes, thanks, all very interesting, Downhill Battle is calling it a great success. Thanks to Brian for the backup.
16 - mars sanford
Would it be redundant for me to review the actual content of the album without focusing on the contraversy? I've had it on replay for like 3 days now, and I'm dying to resurface in the blogcritics sphere.
17 - Eric Olsen
Mars, Sure, go right ahead, would be very helpful in understanding the whole picture.
18 - mars sanford
Thanks EO, I'll cross-link of course. Expect it later today.
PS, My compliments on your always-quick turn around on replies!
19 - Joey Daytona
There is an upcoming Media in Transition conference being held at MIT at the end of April 2007. Anyone interested in being a part of it can take a look here:
There is a call for papers, so remixers can be in the forum!