VANILLA ICE VS. QUEEN AND DAVID BOWIE (1990) Another of the music industry’s most influential copyright battles followed the release of Vanilla Ice’s debut single Ice Ice Baby in 1990. It was clear to listeners that Ice had sampled the bass line of the then decade-old Under Pressure, a single produced in a collaboration between Queen and David Bowie. The original creators were not credited. When the artists’ legal counsel threatened to bring a copyright infringement claim, Ice argued – in a defence of his song that has since become infamous – that the melodies of the two songs were distinct because his work added a note to the end of the sampled riff. Ice later claimed that this statement was made in jest and retracted it. The case was eventually settled out of court for an undisclosed sum, with both Bowie and the members of Queen receiving songwriting credits on the track. Although this particular case is generally remembered today for the enduring pop culture legacy it created, it also led to new discussions concerning sampling in music, as well as the punitive nature of cases of copyright infringement and whether overt cases of plagiarism were being adequately punished. It was argued in some corners that Ice had not properly compensated Queen and Bowie for the loss of potential credibility caused by his appropriation of the melody, which means their work is now inextricably linked to him without their having been offered a chance to refuse. David Bowie - Sound and Vision Tour - 5th September 1990 - Zagreb, Croatia Photo Credit - Les Zg LED ZEPPELIN VS. WILLIE DIXON (1972) The influence of particular guitar riffs was also prominent in the 1972 dispute between Willie Dixon and Led Zeppelin, which first shifted the needle in the rock music genre. Led Zeppelin was heavily influenced by American blues music, as were a number of other British rock groups of the seventies. However, Willie Dixon – who had written the 1962 Muddy Waters track You Need Love – contended that their 1969 track Whole Lotta Love crossed the line into outright plagiarism of his work. One of the main points of contention in Dixon’s lawsuit related to another song, however. He took aim at Led Zeppelin’s borrowing of the intro and outro of their 1969 song Bring It On Home from Sonny Boy Williamson’s 1966 song of the same name (which Dixon had written), including the signature guitar riff. Again, it was claimed that this was done in homage to the original artist, which Dixon disputed. The case was ultimately settled out of court for an undisclosed sum and Dixon was added to the writing credits of Whole Lotta Love. Led Zeppelin would face further lawsuits from different parties, but the dispute with Dixon was the first to acknowledge the artistic debt that the group owed to the blues – and to put a price on it. As a formative voice in the rock music space, Led Zeppelin’s involvement in the lawsuit carried implications for creators across the genre. Led Zeppelin, Musikhalle Hamburg, März 1973: Jimmy Page Photo Credit - Heinrich Klaffs
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