Re: Samples and looping

[mark francombe <mark@markfrancombe.com>]

I think that this is a fascinating thread, one that Louigi has singlehandedly defended his pov, in opposition to most on this list. His arguments are intelligent and well formulated and NOT without some level of compromise. He has taken the right approach, of considering the issue not from a business point of view, full of "what ifs" and "well thens", but from a real world... "well thats how it is", point of view...

Remember the sampling issue is NOT to be confused with the downoading a pirate copy issue. A sample is a few seconds long, it is either so unreconisable by the time it gets to you in that "Hip Hop drum hits collection 9", you can never tell who made it, or its a reconisable phrase from a song of yore, in which case it is not only giving that long forgoton artist a few sales of their own, or at the very least hailing them respectfully.

Louigi also rightly sets some things straight about our own livings as musicians. Why are we really so pissed off about people nicking our stuff? Us.. mostly purveyors of new, exiting and experimental work... are we really "in it for the money?", are any of us really losing ANY money by people nicking samples of our work? I would like to estimate (dont correct me if Im wrong) that there is only a handful of jobbing musicians ON this list. (Per, maybe, but he earns via writing music, Rick maybe, but he teaches, Zoe... ahh Zoe.. thank god for Zoe...and a few others no doubt)... so WHY are we so angry about some kid who makes a few bucks off us? Goddamit... we should be PROUD!!!

I for one was suprised that a track of mine suddenly popped up as a program link music on the national TV station... I know a few people there, so it was probablt one of them, they never own up tho... but i was HAPPY about it!!

Before any one trys the "if it was YOU" approach, I was in a professional band for 12 years, on a major record label, 6 albums, UK top 10 single, toured the world... the issue of sampling us... never cropped up.. never discussed either in the band, or by the record company... its such a small issue and the amount of money that you SHOULD pay an artist for 30 secs is microscopic... unless of course you happen to write a absolutely HUGE hit, that bases that song on that sample... THEN... and only then... YOU SHOULD PAY.... and them lawyers will come and getcha and make you pay... 

... and really.. thats the best way...

dont worry about how the record company bosses make their money, or whether you are screwing a multimillionaire out of small change...

I think it was Crass who printed on the cover of their album "Penis Envy"..

STEAL THIS RECORD

I'm on Louigis side

Mark




-- 
www.markfrancombe.com
http://vimeo.com/user825094

http://uk.youtube.com/user/markfrancombe
http://www.myspace.com/markfrancombe
http://www.looop.no/shop/catlabel.php?q=Synch%20Non%20Synch