Re: copyright issue for distorting loops

["Rick Walker \(loop.pool\)" <GLOBAL@cruzio.com>]

Dear Petr,
    Many will probably disagree with me, but here is my take on this whole
sampling issue:

If you are a successful enough artist or have an independent means of
income, contact the owners and pay for the sample up front.

If not, use the sample in the most creative way you can:  in a way that the
creator of the sample would smile and remember their own creative impulse
and sit back and let fate take it's course.

If you make a lot of money because your work starts selling like hot cakes,
trust me, the sample owners will find you and you can settle then.  It 
will,
of course, cost you a lot more, but then, you will be on the cover of
Rolling Stone, so who cares ;-)

Recently I was approached by RCA Records to sign a release form for a some
samples I had created whilst producing a music video sound track for a band
that they had just signed.  They said it was just a formality.   I told 
them
that they
could make me a reasonable offer and pay me upfront for what the samples 
are
worth, but that I was not going to sign any release for them.   The way I
figure it, they can either honor me now or take the chance that someday 
they
may make a whole lot of money off of my modest contribution to the song and
know that I will come after them with a high powered musical attorney.

We all know that the chances are fairly nill that the tune will do that 
well
so I've let go of it, emotionally, but I do have a good friend who is on 
the
verge of suing
a very major recording artist for
a song that her producers allowed her to record without compensating him 
for
having written the chorus
many years ago.  He's going to make millions and I'm going to sit back and
laugh!!!!

just my 2 cents.   Rick Walker