Roots Archives Forum

if i look at all the curtis mayfield covers (just an example) done by ja artists - was that all legal ? i think joe gibbs got the problem because his version was a big success (at least for ja standards ...)

Return of Jesco wrote:I must be alone on this forum in actually liking the JC Lodge version...

I think you might be.

@Han

how does this make sense?:
"well.. the copyright system works very well in the western world.. Imagine what would happen if we didn't have such rules.. No more newpapers.. no more magazines.. less books.. less music.."

...and now, after all this you have VP Records Pocketing money on itunes releasing Joe Gibbs Compilations...Legally or illegally?..where is the money going?...Family members or just VP's pockets?..what about Publishing?..is there any?

K.

@ Acetone,

You got to think why there are such rules in the first place.. why where they ever made ?

Without copyright protection everybody can and will copy anything.(also think about the patent and brand protection laws.. )

For example.. You wrote a big selling book.. let's say Harry Potter or something..You try to sell it for 30 dollar.. Tommorow I and 100 other companies make exact copies of it and sell it for let's say 10 dollar...
(same with newspaper photo's, articles etc..)

Guess what will happen... next time you don't write a book again....

Another example: A Chinese producer of cleaning products decides to use to logo and brand used by Heineken beer for it's toilet cleaner articles...

Would you still buy the beer ?? (this is no bullshit.. these crazy things happens more than you think.. )

http://static.iftk.com.br/mt/2008/06/ch ... roduc.html

Han wrote:http://static.iftk.com.br/mt/2008/06/ch ... roduc.html

Using the Playboy bunny with the *legend* "PantBoy"!! Genius!

@Han
sorry to say, some poor analogies at work there. Joe Gibbs didn't release Charley Pride's version of the song, he released a cover version which is entirely different to someone publishing Harry Potter without the right to do so (without the right to copy).
Two totally separate things.

I wouldn't buy Heineken because it is crap beer! In my opinion

The patent system also in need review and change.
Currently they are stifling creativity and innovation in the arts and technology.

My point is simply that copyright (and patent) laws are such that they can be and are constantly used and abused by large companies and corporations to prosecute/persecute those with no resources to fight back.
Allow this to continue and you will indeed have a world completely controlled by corpotations as they will have control of every aspect of life. It is partially this way already if you care to look around you.

Had Jamaicans been afraid of lawsuits for copyright infringement the world would be a much poorer place culturally.
As someone said Gibb's mistake was being successful - having a hit should not mean financial ruin! Should it?
Let's keep those third world people in their place...

Let's all sing the company song now...

It's too late now but perhaps Joe Gibbs should have defended the use of the song using the Fair Use defence. If it was as bad as eveybody seems to think then perhaps it could be argued that Gibbs production was in fact a satire on the Charley Pride version!
Your honour, I rest my case!

I thought pre 80's (can't recall what year in the 80s) that copyright law basically didn't exist in Jamaica. People were lifting tunes left right and centre with no comeback in Ja. becuase of this. It had gone on for years and plenty of people were aware of it at the time. I have my doubts that this story fits with everything I've heard up to this point...

@bmd
I think the point was that the cover song was a hit of some significance outside the Jamaican market - places where the RIAA, IFPI, ASCAP, BMI etc. etc. would have jurisdiction and could prosecute. I'd imagine it would be very difficult (before copyright came into being in JA) for them to go after 'infringers' if JA law did not recognize various international copyright laws.
It would also probably be a public relations mess if the matter became publicized...just guessing about that part.