Someone In Congress Actually Understands Mixtapes And Mashups?
from the could-it-be? dept
Sean Garrett writes in to point out that at a recent Congressional hearing, there was a Congressman who actually seemed to understand the ridiculousness of the RIAA-backed SWAT raid on a well known DJ who was often hired by RIAA labels to create mixtapes for their artists. Garrett has typed up the transcript of Representative Doyle and added some of his thoughts as well.Congressman Doyle: Mr. Chairman, I want to tell you a story of a local guy done good. His name is Greg Gillis and by day he is a biomedical engineer in Pittsburgh. At night, he DJs under the name Girl Talk. His latest mash-up record made the top 2006 albums list from Rolling Stone, Pitchfork and Spin Magazine amongst others. His shtick, as the Chicago Tribune wrote about him, is "based on the notion that some sampling of copyrighted material, especially when manipulated and recontextualized into a new art form is legit and deserves to be heard."Of course, don't expect the rest of Congress to figure this out any time soon. The very next Congressman to speak, started with: "Hey, Mr. Chairman, I was just trying to figure out half of the words that Mike Doyle just mentioned. I am clueless...."
In one example, Mr. Chairman, he blended Elton John, Notorious B-I-G, and Destiny's Child all in the span of 30 seconds. And, while the legal indie-music download site eMusic.com took his stuff down due to possible copyright violation, he's now flying all over the world to open concerts and remix for artists like Beck.
The same cannot be said for Atlanta-based, hop-hop, mix-tape king DJ Drama. Mix-tapes, actually made on CDs, are sold at Best Buys and local record shops across the country and they are seen as crucial in making or breaking new acts in hip-hop. But even though artists on major labels are paying DJ Drama to get their next mixtape, the major record labels are leading raids and sending people like him to jail.
I hope that everyone involved will take a step back and ask themselves if mash-ups and mix-tapes are really different or if it's the same as Paul McCartney admitting that he nicked the Chuck Berry bass-riff and used it on the Beatle's hit "I Saw Her Standing There."
Maybe it is. And, maybe Drama violated some clear bright lines. Or, maybe mixtapes are a powerful tool. And, maybe mash-ups are transformative new art that expands the consumers experience and doesn't compete with what an artist has made available on iTunes or at the CD store. And, I don't think Sir Paul asked for permission to borrow that bass line, but every time I listen to that song, I'm a little better off for him having done so....
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Seriously? That is frightening, considering all the words were relatively simple and the only two words I noticed that could be an issue for an educated politician were "mix-tape" and "mash-up."
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Re:
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lots, actually.
This is what we young people get for whining on message boards instead of Voting. Maybe if we did, our congress might have enough people who understand this perfectly rational point enough to actually debate it.
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Re: lots, actually.
So there! :p
I voted for Bush in his first election. He likes using The Google. Please flame me, as if I didn't already know my own flaws.
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Voting
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Next time there is a presidential candidate out roaming for votes, just look at the age groups of the people following him around town - this will help to validate the previous statement.
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Re: Doyle
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There should be mandatory polling in the USA, so that you have to enter the polling booth and put a ballot paper into the box, but you do not have to vote for any candidate. That would encourage those who see no point in voting rep/Dem to vote for a third party, which could force some progress. Voters may of course spoil thier ballot paper (record a null vote).
If you did not have to be a millionaire to become president of the USA then that might lead to some changes too.
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Re: voting and politicians
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to the_dukeman
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