There’s a fine line between sampling a song and straight ripping off someone else’s artistic integrity. Imitation is recognized as the highest form of flattery – but at what point does it go too far?
Most recently, Madonna finally spoke out about her insane influence of Lady Gaga, with focus on ‘Born This Way‘ and it’s similarity with Madge’s 1989 hit ‘Express Yourself’. And in the spirit of that buzz – we’re delighted to bring you a little sampling, thirteen songs that famously ripped off others (and were pretty successful in their own right). Some of which dealt with court settlements and others were able to slip through the legal cracks. For those arguing that the likes of Hammer and Vanilla Ice had the right to sample – both were busted by the predecessors for their use. Ice even argued in an episode of VH1′s ‘Behind the Music’ that it was completely original and the sampling accusations were bogus.
Tell us what you think! Below are thirteen examples, first being the song that ripped off the following song:
Jennifer Lopez “On The Floor (Ft. Pitbull)” VS. Los Kjarkas “Lloranda se fue”
Dave Grohl is admired by many. The Nirvana drummer, turned Foo Fighters lead singer, and most recently, Them Crooked Vultures drummer, has had quite the music career. Still, he has his idols too. And one of them is in his new band.
Playing with Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones in his new super-group Them Crooked Vultures is a dream come true for Grohl, reports rollingstone.com.
Grohl’s Led Zeppelin love goes all the way back to when he was just a teenager. He’s got three Led Zeppelin-inspired tattoos – the John Bonham three-circle Led Zeppelin IV logo in three places – the first of which he did himself when he was just a teen.
“I did the first one myself when I was 16,” said Grohl. “I tried to get different coloured ink to make it seem pro, but now it looks like someone put a cigarette out on my fucking arm.”
Bravado International Group is suing Dollar Days International, Alan Shrem and Kennedy-Shrem International for millions, claiming they are illegally using the names of Michael Jackson, the Rolling Stones, the Doors, Guns N’ Roses, Led Zeppelin and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, reports TMZ.
Bravado says they have the exclusive right to merchandise related to these artists, and the other companies have violated this right by selling shirts, watches, posters and other items. They are seeking $2 million per violation.
Jack White has been a very busy, very lucky man lately.
Along with his film It Might Get Loud featuring U2′s The Edge and Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page, White has entered the studio with the Rolling Stones’ Keith Richards, according to Pitchfork.
This isn’t White’s first brush with the Stones – he performed “Loving Cup” alongside Jagger in Martin Scorcese’s concert documentary Shine A Light. Now Richards says the two have been recording together, but wouldn’t confirm rumours that White is lined up to produce the next Stones album.
Details for the album are still vague, and Richards says he is still just trying to rally his band to get writing although they are working together to compile bonus tracks for a re-release of Exile on Main Street next year.
Some bands are very tricky to describe, but that’s not the case for The Parlor Mob. The band consider themselves a rock group, and they have every right to call themselves one. The rockers — who’ve already been compared to Led Zeppelin by critics and fans alike — are currently on tour with Theory of a Deadman.
“It’s straight ahead rock n’ roll man. Kind of like rock n’ roll before all of the sub genres,” says The Parlor Mob bassist Nick Villapiano on the phone from New Jersey. The band — who were previously known as What About Frank? — formed in 2004 after Mark Melicia, David Rosen, Paul Ritchie Sam Bey and Villapiano came together in their home state of New Jersey.
“We hated that name,” Villapiano admits. “We thought it was kind of hokey and stupid, and it didn’t really represent what we were doing musically anymore. So pretty much when we got the first opportunity to make the change, we did.”
After changing their name to The Parlor Mob (based on a 19th century gang), the band also endured what they thought would be a big career change. “We signed a developmental deal with Capitol Records in what later on turned out to kind of be a move for them to sign us so that other labels couldn’t,” the bassist tells andPOP. “And it kind of let us record an EP and just put us on the shelf, didn’t release it, didn’t put us out on tour.”
LED ZEPPELIN’s concert promoter HARVEY GOLDSMITH has fuelled reports the group are planning to reunite for the first time in 27 years – he’s warned fans not to buy bootleg concert tickets.
The internet is awash with rumours the legendary rockers are reforming, with some websites even advertising Led Zeppelin gigs – and although Goldsmith insists the claims are all untrue, he has hinted talks are underway for a reunion.
He says, “There have been at least four events advertised which I suspect either don’t exist or where no tickets are on sale or indeed dates finalized. “The media should consider the consequences of giving credibility to those who rip the public off.
“There are no packages or tickets for some the events advertised at all, nor do some of the events even exist. We are concerned that the public will be fleeced. The bottom line is that unless official adverts have appeared for concerts, tickets are not on sale. Do not buy from unauthorised sources.” (IG/WNWCNM/MT)
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The owner of a website that offers streams of rare concert footage is being sued by members of The Doors and Led Zeppelin, along with Grateful Dead Productions and Carlos Santana.
The site, called Wolfgang’s Vault, features rare video and audio from thousands of concerts since the early 1960s. The material was collected over three decades by Bill Graham, a concert promoted who died in 1991.
Aside from offering the recordings, the site acts as a store for band shirts, vintage posters and other music memorabilia. The artists involved in the suit based their claim on the allegation that that site is using their recordings to increase sales of these products.
The suit was brought against owner William Sagan; he bought the rights to Graham’s material from Clear Channel Entertainment more than three years ago for $5 million U.S.
“Sagan simply doesn’t have the legal rights to exploit and profit from the extraordinary success of these musicians,” read a statement from Jeff Reeves, the lawyer representing the musicians.
Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page has been made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Queen Elizabeth II for his work on behalf of Brazilian street children.
Page, 61, received the honour from the queen at Buckingham Palace Wednesday.
Describing the accolade as overwhelming, the veteran rock musician recalled how he became involved with helping Brazilian children in 1994 after fighting broke out among street gangs when he was promoting an album in Rio de Janeiro.
“At that time in Rio the sun wasn’t shining,? Page told reporters, according to Billboard. ?The army was going into the favelas (shantytowns) and I heard about the plight of the street children.”
Page and British charity Task Brazil set up a safe house, which has supported more than 300 children. Task Brazil provides medical and psychological support, food, clothing and job training.
“I think when you’re faced with a plight that’s inescapable, and there’s something you can do about it, you hope you can make a difference,” Page said.
Page was a member of the Yardbirds in the ?60s before going on to help found Led Zeppelin.
