Yellowcard Band • Page 195

Does Vanilla Ice still owe royalties to Queen?

 

I listened to them when the case was first filed and said "huh, interesting commonality in the cadence and melody -- it's not one-to-one, but I can see an argument for probative similarity, and maybe for substantial similarity, but they'll be relying heavily on their musicologist again, just like with the Blurred Lines case." After seeing what Judge Snyder did in Katy Perry's case, though, it's entirely possible the defense will be able to show the musical similarities are too common to be protectable, even if they were copied. It'll depend on what kind of evidentiary record they build up on the issue. Definitely interested to see where it goes.

 

It’s interesting when you here these cases come up, the points/comparisons and results.

I don’t get why people get emotionally invested like they have personal stakes in the matter. This stuff happens all the time and it’s not always in the public eye. They are going through proper channels and not just being jerks on the internet trash talking the family.

But that’s just me.

 

Thanks! Really appreciate your input on this!

 

The lawsuit is stupid, but I think it's more a product of even worse copyright law than anything else. Clearly the band knows this is killing the way they are viewed both by fans and by people who had never heard of them, so they must really believe they have a case here. Personally, I can't imagine Juice WRLD, in 2017 or whenever Lucid Dreams was written being like "Hmm.. y'know I really liked that one song I heard 12 years ago because my GF was into that kind of music, let me just take that melody for my own song." On the other hand, the melodies are very similar, on borderline of too similar. (For those saying it's a simple melody, the similarities continue over the course of about 40 notes, which is quite a bit. There so many different ways to create musical phrase that the odds of two lining up as perfectly as they do by chance is unlikely.) Under current copyright law (coming from a musician's perspective with some knowledge of past cases and not a lawyer's) I would say they do have a case and may even be likely to get some compensation. Which, as I said before, is really stupid because, even the melody was directly taken, then I think Juice WRLD did something really cool and interesting with it, incorporating it into a unique song. Musician's are always told that "imitation is the greatest form of flattery", but modern copyright law punishes the taking of inspiration from other sources.

 

That's the fun part about copyright infringement -- you don't need to be actively thinking about a song to rip it off. That's how George Harrison got pinched for copying He's So Fine to write My Sweet Lord -- "subconscious" copying.

 

Thanks for the clarification! I'll admit that most of my knowledge on the subject is from the trademark side of things after working with brands and the USPO, so it's interesting to hear the differences in copyright law.

 

Because it's a bad look and the fact that they are going this hard about it is frankly disgusting.

 

Yes, but someone earlier made a point. How much of this is a bunch of "suits" pushing the issue?..leaving the band with little to no choice in the matter

 

I'd assume they could at least choose to not have their names listed on the suit

 

Possibly, I really don't know. I don't understand why anyone would choose that if it were an option, but I'm not knowledgable when it comes to law to begin with.

 

This is so insane to me. Interesting shit though.

 

I've spent a lot of time with this post because I think it directly addresses many of the issues that I have had with this entire situation. I have been listening to Yellowcard since I was 12 years old. I've spent countless hours with their music. Their discography is a major part of the soundtrack to my life from essentially 2002 until today. Over the years, I have had the opportunity to become friends with some of the people in the band, Sean in particular, and I am very grateful for that.

When I first read about this lawsuit, I had a bit of a sour taste in my mouth, but could understand the angle and the legality behind it. However, after his death, to see the lawsuit continuing multiple times - with Ryan, Sean, and LP's name on the documents - is wholly disappointing. The optics of it continuing after these ridiculously tragic circumstances, are terrible. It continues to get quite a bit of press coverage. The vast majority of people - including members of other bands - have the same general opinion: This is in bad taste.

When you look up to a person, team, or group for a long period of time it is always going to be disappointing to see them acting in a way that you don't morally agree with. The same can be said for anybody who has seen this happen with a family member, band, sports team, etc. It just sucks. That is why people seem to be emotionally invested in the matter - because they are. They are disappointed to see people they looked up to become involved in something shitty.

I will back up a bit and say this: I don't fully understand how this lawsuit works. I won't claim to be an expert at all. Perhaps, as someone alluded to earlier, this is being pushed by suits and the band members are unfortunately listed in the documents. Perhaps, additionally, they are not legally allowed to say a single word about it during the process. I think the door is still open for that. I hope that is the case.

But right now, with everything I have available to me, it looks like the guys in my favorite band are pushing a stupid lawsuit against the mother of a young musician who died tragically just a few months ago.

That is shitty. And I hate that.

 

My wife and I moved into our new home yesterday after spending 5 years at our first home together. For some reason, locking up and saying goodbye called for Southern Air on our drive to the new home. It was perfect.

 

Southern Air is almost 8 years old.....WTF?

 

I was just thinking about this. The time has just...flown by. It’s almost unbelievable.

So many great memories with that record.

 

We need PW and SA acoustic versions.

 

Ocean Avenue is 17 years old today

 

Crazy. Still holds up.

 

still my favorite from them, it captured such a specific sound that just works perfectly.

 

We’re getting old my friends.

 

Not sure how to process that such an important album to me has been around for like half my life now lol.

I remember buying it from walmart while visiting my dad in the bumfuck town he lived in and listening to it for like days afterward haha.

 

I listened to Ocean Avenue in my gigantic Sony Walkman CD player until (the album) physically wouldn’t read anymore... then I bought it again and listened some more lol.

 

Same story, but mine was a X-treme 40 ESP3 Philips with Dynamic Bass Boost.