Monday, November 07, 2016

Freedom and Expression

Look, I don't "do" politics. I ain't the brightest tool in the deck, for one thing. Also, my manager tells me it ain't good for business.

But still. Gotta few things I gotta say.

If you haven't done your homework, you really shouldn't be voting. Just don't. Don't grab someone else's guide, or blindly vote a party ticket.

Except for one thing: Vote for Hillary. If you vote for the other guy, you're saying you don't believe in a bunch of core American things. I don't have time to go into it.

More important: Beware of any political party that wants to restrict what you can say and what words you can use, what you can do in your bedroom, how you can rock, how you can pray (or not pray), what kinds of thoughts are acceptable.

You should be free to say and do what you want. That doesn't absolve you from social responsibility and consequence (if you're an asshole, don't be surprised if people point and say "that person is an asshole!"). But the choice should be yours.

The right is pretty bad about this, particularly the wing that wants to prohibit all the good stuff in the bedroom.

But I'm old enough to remember when Al Gore's wife (and the rest of left) was crusading against music, and the fantastic supergroup coalition of Frank Zappa, Dee Snider, and John F'ing DENVER convened to fight 'em. (They...and we...lost, but what a fight it was).

There's always some group wanting to clamp down on what you're allowed to say, what's OK to say, and what's cool. Stay vigiliant, stay loud, stay free.

Stay maximum new wave.

But seriously, go vote. For Hillary.

Monday, October 31, 2016

Hits, Writs, and Rip-Offs: "Influence" and Creativity

It is said in HOLLYWOOD that "where there's a hit, there's a writ". Meaning any time you succeed, some whack job starts complaining they had the idea first, and you're ripping them off. It's an evergreen business, and if I'd been smart, I would have gone to lawsuit school and gotten rich off of that instead of learning to play guitar and the difference between square and sawtooth waves.

Bruno Mars and Mark Ronson
Mark Ronson likes to mine the past for inspiration. He's been pretty outspoken about how he listens to old records and frequently tries to emulate them. Not straight-up copying, but copying the vibe. Like all musicians, he's got a deep appreciation for, and encyclopedic knowledge of, music.

Talented dude, and his production and skills resulted in great albums for acts including the late, great Amy Winehouse and the still-great Duran Duran.

He supposedly recorded like 3 complete versions of "Uptown Funk" that didn't work before the version he did with Bruno Mars blew up and became a hit.

So of course, Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars have been sued over "Uptown Funk". Again. (This Pitchfork article sums it up well).

The meat of the argument is copyright violation. There's some bad knowledge that "8 notes in sequence" have to be lifted. This isn't exactly true. It's a lot more complicated. But basically you should be somewhat original when it comes to composition (there's absolutely NO middle ground on sound recordings, though. If you use any tiny sample of someone else's record, you are infringing).

Given all the ambiguity, and how weird music is to begin with, there are always accusations of "you're copying my song" when what is really meant is "that sort of feels like what I did". This is also aggravated by musicians constantly listening to each other and the market and trying to figure out what's popular or will be popular. (Hint: It's very similar to what already is or was popular, except when it's not).

This isn't new. Every. Single. Musician. does this: copies other musicians. Hell, every artist does this. Every human.

In fact, if big successful bands were mean and/or had more lawyers and free time, they could make a very small fortune by going around and nailing all the up-and-coming bands that are ripping them off right and left trying to hop on the bandwagon. (If they'd been smart, RHCP and Jane's Addiction could have made a mint from early-90s Los Angeles). But that's sort of punching down, and not worth it, because most musicians have nothing to sue for.

But the upward suit, of the nobody or dead star's "estate" against current hitmaker/star? All good. And this has become a big deal in the last few years. I think it's because of a few factors:

1) The continuing decline in music industry revenues means that old bands (or more frequently, their "estates") are seeking new sources of revenue, so they're going after the crummy new acts taking what little money is available.

2) Studio technology and internet knowledge have made it easier than ever to find cool stuff from the past and figure out how to superficially and near-exactly replicate it (see also: the extreme hype around the "Stranger Things" 80s synth soundtrack, Adele, etc.)

...and you can do it without sampling, which as we all know was the subject of many lawsuits both valid and stupid.

Anyhow, let's listen to a few of these. Here's the Bruno Mars/Mark Ronson jam:


Now here's "Young Girls" by Collage, from 1983:


Like Mark Ronson, I am an artist who dissects, copies, pastiches, and, uh, collages for a "living". Yeah. There are clear similarities. Clearly Ronson and Mars heard this and said "let's do one like that".

So you get a similar tempo. The big bass hit on the one. The razor-sharp Strat chords. The vibe.

But what about the Gap Band? They sued over the same song, claiming it was close to their own "Oops Upside Your Head" from 1979:


...or this song, "Funk You Up" by The Sequence, also from 1979?


The Gap Band won. The Sequence chose not to file. Does that mean Collage should also be sued by The Gap Band and The Sequence? (For what it's worth, I think Collage has a much stronger case than either of the other two bands.) I mean, I don't really hear what The Gap Band is so upset about.

There are a whole grip of early 80s electro-funk soul tunes which are also amazing and also likely sources of inspiration. When you listen to a playlist of this stuff, what starts to strike you is not "what a spectacular range of creativity" but rather "wow, this all sort of sounds like the same song. It's a really GOOD song, but..."

You start to see how every scene and genre in pop music is variations on a theme, usually empowered by some new piece of technology, whether it's a Moog bass synthesizer, a vocoder, a Fairlight CMI, ReCycle, the Sherman Filterbank, the Akai S1000 and MPC, or Antares AutoTune.

I digress.

The last time this happened, it was Miguel's "Adorn" vs. Marvin Gaye's estate. This is because "Adorn" is pretty much "Sexual Healing", but not as good, and also because Marvin Gaye's "estate" are a bunch of litigious jerks.. Hear for yourself:

You already know "Sexual  Healing", but c'mon it's so good:

Here's Miguel's bad Xerox:

It's beyond obvious that "Adorn" came out of the gang in the studio saying "we should make something like 'Sexual Healing'", and then they did the dumbest possible thing: They made something that literally sounded like "Sexual Healing".

It's also super-obvious that "Adorn" sucks.

They copped all the right sounds: 808. Synth bass. Organ-y synth for chords. But they left out some crucial ingredients.

For one, while Marvin Gaye's lyrics for "Sexual Healing" aren't exactly Bob Dylan-level, they're passable, internally consistent, and have a few good moments (the "I got sick this morning..." verse, for example).

"Adorn", on the other hand, is pretty dumb throughout, and like most modern pop songs, flits from one idea and metaphor to another, without any intention whatsoever. 

Most importantly, while Miguel is a technically fine singer, he is no Marvin Gaye when it comes to delivery. As caveman as "Sexual Healing" can be (it's basically a song that says "I'm horny, so fuck me before I lose my shit" and literally says "no, masturbation's not good enough"), Gaye's singing totally sells it in a non-creepy way and makes it loving, tender and even hot.

Ain't nobody playing Marvin Gaye on radio, and Miguel sold 500K copies - GOLD! - on the strength of his Gaye-giarism. Plus the Gaye people did pretty good in wailing on the also-terrible "Blurred Lines" for similar crimes.

These suits are not uncommon. Led Zeppelin just got hit by some band that claims Zep "stole" key pieces of "Stairway to Heaven". I can't remember the band's name, and neither can you, because even if Zep did cop the vibe, the forgotten band didn't actually write fucking STAIRWAY, Led Zeppelin did.

George Harrison got sued over "My Sweet Lord". He lost the suit, and then bought the rights to the song that won.

Perhaps the best and best-known of these suits is from the 80s (of course), and that is Huey Lewis and The News' 1982 smash "I Want A New Drug" vs. Ray Parker Jr.'s "Ghostbusters" theme from 1984.

This case was particularly notable because, unusually, BOTH of these songs were huge chart-topping smashes, endlessly played on radio at the time.

Here's "I Want A New Drug":


...and here's "Ghostbusters":

So what happened? Huey Lewis won, and big time. Part of this was that Lewis had been approached by the Ghostbusters producers, who said "please write us a hit song for the movie". Lewis was busy (writing hit songs for "Back To The Future") and he passed.

So the producers then went to Ray Parker Jr. (why???) and said "hey, can you write us something for the movie kind of like 'I Want A New Drug'?" and Parker said "sure thing".

Kaboom. Documented. Done. Payment made. Also a pretty obvious and hacky copy. Parker is a very gifted guitar player, but that is some lazy songwriting (to say nothing of his somnambulent "singing"). Didn't matter. Was still a big hit.

And Parker had some literal payback when Lewis broke the confidentiality agreement around the settlement many years later and Parker sued him.

But if you look at radio play these days, well, they're still playing "I Want A New Drug". You'll maybe hear "Ghostbusters" during Halloween and everyone will groan and say "can't you just play 'Monster Mash' again?"

Sorry. let's wrap up here.

Thing 1, the plaintiffs: There's a reason you haven't heard most of the songs claiming to be "ripped off" by the bigger hits. And that is because those songs weren't hits.

When you go back and listen, compare them to the hits, you can hear why. Mostly they're boring. Sometimes they have good vibes or a decent hook but the rest of the song is just lame or uninspiring.

The argument made in court is frequently "look, if this song was any good, it would have been a hit on its own. Whether my client listened to it or was inspired by it or not isn't the question. It's 'did my client infringe?' Success isn't illegal."

And it's true. Copping a vibe isn't illegal. Copying more than 8 notes is. Unauthorized sampling is. Most of these suits are sour grapes squeezed by resentful bitter old musicians and the lawyers who fight for them.

Even if you write a great riff, if you can't figure out what to do with it, don't be too upset if someone gets close to it and does better. There's only 12 notes, and only a few ways they go together without sounding weird.

Thing 2, the defense: There's a bigger issue here. There's an inverse relationship with how closely you duplicate an inspiration and how vital, useful, or necessary your own work is. 

The closer you get to making a perfect copy of someone else's work, the more your own deficiencies or differences will stand out.

I go back to that Miguel track and I don't think "wow, Miguel is so good". I think "Marvin Gaye was great, and Miguel is a bad karaoke impersonator who was afraid to do a straight-up cover because he knew he couldn't compare."

I listen to "Uptown Funk" and I think "this is obviously derivative of 80s electro-funk-soul, sounds like a million other songs, BUT there's something about how Ronson and Mars did it that feels fresh and fun RIGHT NOW. Probably won't hold up as a classic, though...because it's not really adding anything."

If you're going to put on someone else's leather jacket and credibilty, you need to add something of yourself, put your own spin on it, highlight something we didn't see. At the very least make us look a that old stuff with fresh eyes, not just nostalgia. 

"Talent borrows, genius steals", said Picasso. And by that he meant "if you're going to cop someone's steelo, best do it so well it becomes yours." Or else.

Thursday, April 21, 2016

PRINCE is dead

First oh shit is this my fautl did I jinx it? I am so sorry, no, I was wrong. Me, take me. Leave him.

Man, I hope his peoiiple don't come after me. I loved him, I loved his music. I made out with so many girls while his stuff was playing. Purple Rain. The Beautiful Ones. I played "Controversy" over and over and over and over.

Here's one for you. True story.

It's 1986. Been trying to get back into music and figure out what the hell is going on for 2 years. I'm barely 18. Sitting in outside in Los Angeles in a cafe in Beverly Hills, pouring my heart out to a friend, probably a cute girl. Having a coffee, enjoying the day.

I'm talking about music, and about how difficult it is tryign to write hits and please the public and all that. About how crummy the music business is and how f'ed over I've been by my record company.

it's all true, and a pretty good rap for creating sympathy with the hot girl. But I'm seriously frustrated by all of this.

Since I'm 18, I'm pretty self-involved, and not really paying attention to much of what's going on around me, or who's around me or any of that.

But I am really struggling inside. How do you create something that's good? That pleases the public? That pleases yourself?

And as I'm working through all of that, I smell flowers and citrus wafting by. Even over the L.A. smog and magnolias.

I look up, and it's Prince. I guess he was sitting nearby and overheard something. Somehow, even dressed in whatever crazy suit he was wearing, he managed to be inconspicuous. Being tiny helps.

Anyhow, I sense he's there and I turn and look. He looks me straight in the eye, and says in that sort of low-voiced drawl of his "You don't ALWAYS have to give them what they want", and then he turns and walks away, vanishing into the L.A. day.

I'm not sure if he was talking to the hot girl or me, and if he meant it about people or fans or what, but it was the perfect thing to say, on that perfect day.

Now I'm sitting here in the dark, again, drinking, again, playing his records over and over. I just don't want to believe it's true.

WTF universe. This is not cool, not cool at all. Bring him back right now.

Tracy died soon after a long fought civil war,
Just after I'd wiped away his last tear
I guess he's better off than he was before,
A whole lot better off than the fools he left here
I used to cry for Tracy because he was my only friend
Those kind of cars don't pass you every day
I used to cry for Tracy because I wanted to see him again,
But sometimes, sometimes life ain't always the way

Sometimes it snows in April
Sometimes I feel so bad, so bad
Sometimes I wish life was never-ending,
All good things, they say, never last

Springtime was always my favorite time of year,
A time for lovers holding hands in the rain
Now springtime only reminds me of Tracy's tears
Always cry for love, never cry for pain
He used to say so strong I'm not afraid to die
Unafraid of the death that left me hypnotized
Now, staring at his picture I realize
No one could cry the way my Tracy cried

Sometimes it snows in April
Sometimes I feel so bad
Sometimes I wish that life was never-ending,
But all good things, they say, never last

I often dream of heaven and I know that Tracy's there
I know that he has found another friend
Maybe he's found the answer to all the April snow
Maybe one day I'll see my Tracy again

Sometimes it snows in April
Sometimes I feel so bad
Sometimes I wish that life was never-ending,
But all good things, they say, never last

All good things, they say, never last
And love, it isn't love until it's past



Monday, January 11, 2016

David Bowie (and Iggy Pop)

[Update: Here's Iggy saying the same thing with less bourbon in him.]

Oh jeeebus. I'm a little drunk, so bear with   me here.

Bowie? Come on, not Bowie. There are so many other peoiple we could give up. I know it's sacrilege, but I'd giv up Prince (PRINCE!) before Bowie. Robert Plant. Keef, even.

I'm not supposed to say this, but yeah, I did meet him. Once.

This was not long after "Let's Dance". We ended up at the same restaurant. I was drinkin g more than I shoud, especially since I was not 21. Bowie was not. He was drinking sparkling water.

I told him that I really liked his stuff, sure, who didn't? So many amazing songs. ZIGGY! "It's not the side effects of the cocaine, I'm thinking that it must be love".

But what I really liked was what he had done with Iggy Pop on "The Idiot": "Funtime" to be exact.


Bowie smiled briefly and said "Jim's my friend, I really liked making that record." We talked some more. About drum sounds and movies and women.

HGere's what I really remember about Bowie; He was a goo dfriend. He helped make Iggy's solo career, with producing his records and stuf.f But if you know anything about Iggy, you know he has struggled to breakthrough to the mainstream and HAVE A HIT (ahven't we all?)

And in the 80s, Ig was having a tough time. No money. Living in NYC and having bad habits will do that to you.

So Bowie says "well, Jim, I'll cover one of your songs on my new record. I need material anyhow."

So he puts "China Girl" on "Let's Dance". Long story short: BIG hit. Bowie gets a "free" hit single, Iggy gets some money. We get Bowie's China Girl, adn everybody wins:


Still, Iggy's hurting. So what does Bowie do on the follow-up to "Let's Dance"? 5 of the 9 songs are either written by Iggy Pop or co-written by Iggy Pop. The album is guaranteed good sales even if it's terrible (it's not terrible, but critics are not kind). It's not exactly charity, as Bowie wasn't writing much, but he could have made more...commercial choices.

And even the record after that, (the also not well-reviewed) "Never Let Me Down", he thro0ws ANOTHER Iggy song on there ("Bang Bang"!, 1987).

And right before that (1986), he uses all of his newfound commercial wisdom (and Duran Duran's drum machines) and produces Iggy's best "pop" record, the oft-overlooked "Blah-Blah-Blah". He sings backup on it (it's obvious when you listen), too (and co-writes some of it)...but he doesn't make a big deal out of it. Because it's Iggy's show, and he wants his friend to succeed on his own terms.

What a friend. What an artist.

I'm super sad.

I'm sad because this genius musician is gone. And I'm sad because he's gone too soon. He just put out a record, had a birthday.

It's hard to believe he didn't really enjoy his life in the last bunch of years, but it seems like he should have had like a decade to just goof off and watch Netflix and play video games or whatever he does for fun. Go see his son's movies. Eat lasagna.

But really? I'm sad because I think about the kind of man Bowie was -- a guy who'd do anything to help his friend make it, and have fun doing it. I wish I had known him more than the records and our brief intersection at that restaurant.

I am sad because I wanted a friend like that. Who wouldn't?

His music said "you're not alone", and when he sang or looked at you with those beautiful eyes, you knew he meant it.

Goodbye. and thank you thank you thank you. Goddamn it.

Well, how come you only want tomorrow
With its promise of something hard to do
A real life adventure worth more than pieces of gold
Blue skies above and sun on your arms 
strength in your stride
And hope in those squeaky clean eyes
You'll get chilly receptions everywhere you go
Blinded with desire I guess the season is on

So you train by shadow boxing, search for the truth
But it's all, but it's all used up
Break open your million dollar weapon
And push your luck, still you push, still you push your luck
A broken nosed mogul
are you one of the new wave boys?

Same old thing in brand new drag comes sweeping into view
As ugly as a teenage millionaire pretending it's a whiz kid world
You'll take me aside, and say

"Well, David, what shall I do? They wait for me in the hallway"
I'll say "don't ask me, I don't know any hallways"

But they move in numbers and they've got me in a corner
I feel like a group of one, no no they can't do this to me
I'm not some piece of teenage wildlife

Those midwives to history put on their bloody robes
The word is that the hunted one is out there on his own
And you're alone for maybe the last time
And you breathe for a long time
Then you howl like a wolf in a trap
And you daren't look behind

You fall to the ground like a leaf from the tree
And look up one time at that vast blue sky
Scream out aloud as they shoot you down
No no, I'm not a piece of teenage wildlife
I'm not a piece of teenage wildlife

And no one will have seen and no one will confess
The fingerprints will prove that you couldn't pass the test
There'll be others on the line filing past, who'll whisper low
I miss you he really had to go well each to his own, he was
Another piece of teenage wildlife
Another piece of teenage wildlife