Roots Archives Forum

I just read in the liner notes to the highly enjoyable "Joe Gibbs: Scorchers From The Early Years" that he lost everything in a copyright case when he recorded J.C Lodge doing a cover of a Charlie Pride song. He ended up running a supermarket on North Parade, where Errol T was responsible for preparing the employees wages!!! Given the fact that Jamaican producers have traditionally ignored copyright laws since at least the 60's, it's surprising that none of the others got similar treatment? I've got a High Times seven that's labeled "I still haven't found what I'm looking for- Ken Boothe" ( Thankfully, it is actually Freddie Macgregor- Natural Collie!) It does credit U2, but did they actually get any money for it? Hopefully, for Chinna's sake, the members of U2 don't frequent this board! Check out Charlie Prides website- that must have used up a lot of Joe's money!

it's surprising that none of the others got similar treatment....

What do you think legal procedures cost in time and money ( can cost you years..)
A big group/artist like for example U2 won't gain any serious benefit to sue some 'nobody' in a far away country that sells a couple of hundred or thousand records...

And besides it will give artists and companies bad publicity... Look at Metallica after they attacted Napster...

and i believe joe gibbs owned and ran that grocery store before he let off that awful record. shame he was "ruined" over such a crap tune. i wonder how it was brought to the attention of charlie pride anyhow; ja vacation?

one love
jah bill

I never heard about this before but if true it proves once again that copyright is in its current form a broken system that only benefits those artists with a team of record company lawyers - or more correctly the record company/publisher/rightsholder with said lawyers, because from what I understand the 'agrieved' artists themselves almost never benefit financially from these lawsuits. In fact, when they become publicized they do little else but make the artist look bad.
I wonder if Charley Pride was even involved with the process or if as I suspect it was another in a loon, long list of nasty RIAA bully tactics. Damn them!

And what about the many 'western' artists that have borrowed (usually poorly) from original Jamaican songs and melodies?
But they're paying homage to a rich musical island culture...or something.
So why can't it work the other way?

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..

'Problem' is that its useless for the average guy who lives in a poor and underdeveloped country...

& the song that did it all:

SOMEONE LOVES YOU HONEY

& yes it is a piece of crap,i have it on 12" .

such a shame but interesting information.

cheers

j j

Although "Someone Loves You Honey" is a crap tune, it was an international smash in Europe and the US (Note that this tune sold heavily among non-reggae buyers).
Furthermore it was easy to locate and to sue Joe Gibbs, because he had a legal record label operation in Miami since 1978 (Joe Gibbs Music). A long battle ensued and in 1984, the original Miami operations of Joe Gibbs was forced to cease and desist. Hope this helps

That's interesting, I guess that explains it then. Thanks for all the replies

Alastair

I must be alone on this forum in actually liking the JC Lodge version...