From: Larry Solters
Re-The Don Henley/Okkervil River Kerfuffle
Bob-
You missed the point. This has nothing to do with money. It's simply about these punks having the audacity to take original, copyrighted material and CHANGE it. It's not about them or Don making money. It's about them not respecting the original material, treating it like it was some kind of interactive plaything. It's about respecting the integrity of somebody else's material - Grammy-winning material.
What both Frank Ocean and Okkervil River did wasn't merely "sampling." In Ocean's case, it was wholesale theft. What Okkervil River did was take the original "The End of the Innocence" and add extra (lame) verses and musical sections. That amounts to musical vandalism. They seem to think that because they aren't "selling" their little piece of hackery, it's O.K. to do what they did, which is beyond comprehension.
Perhaps you missed the original News Corp Australia interview -
Don Henley of the Eagles accuses Frank Ocean of 'stealing' his song.
4 DAYS AGO JUNE 02, 2014 2:14PM
ROCK legend Don Henley has slapped down hipster singer Frank Ocean for 'stealing' the Eagles' Hotel California and has told him to get his own ideas.
Ocean sampled of the entire 1977 classic - minus the lyrics - for his song American Wedding. However Ocean sings his own brand new lyrics over the million-selling rock anthem.
Henley refused to allow Ocean to release the track, which has since leaked online.
I heard it," Henley said of American Wedding. "I was not impressed. He needs to come up with his own ideas and stop stealing stuff from already established works."
Ocean wrote on his Tumblr that Henley was "apparently intimidated by my rendition of Hotel California" and "threatened to sue if I perform it again."
Henley admitted his lawyers were involved.
"Mr. Ocean doesn't seem to understand US copyright law. Anyone who knows anything should know you cannot take a master track of a recording and write another song over the top of it. You just can't do that. You can call it a tribute or whatever you want to call it, but it's against the law. That's a problem with some of the younger generation, they don't understand the concept of intellectual property and copyright."
"(Mr. Ocean) was quite arrogant about it," Henley said. "We tried to approach him calmly to talk reason to him via his managers and his attorneys and he wouldn't listen. So finally we threatened to bring legal action against him. He was clearly in the wrong. I wouldn't dream of doing something like that. What kind of ego is that? I don't understand it."
Henley also nixed a remake of his solo hit "The End of the Innocence" by US band Okkervil River, who had planned to release it online for free.
Okkervil River singer Will Sheff told The Music they "sincerely" loved the song and said Henley was an "old-fashioned guy who doesn't understand...it's not like I was making money, I figure that's all he f---ing cares about.
"It's not like I was making money off it, but he still made me take it down."
Henley said he was more concerned by the fact they altered his original lyrics.
"They don't understand the law either," Henley said. "You can't re-write the lyrics to somebody else's songs and record it and put it on the internet. I'm sorry, but it wasn't an improvement. We were not impressed. So we simply had our legal team tell them to take it down and they got all huffy about it.
"It's a different mindset. I don't know how they'd react if I took one of their songs and re-wrote the lyrics and recorded it, I don't know if they'd like that. Maybe they wouldn't care but I care. We work really really hard on our material. We spend months writing it and years recording it. You don't go into a museum and paint a moustache on somebody else's painting. Nobody would think of doing that."
Henley said he did not see either remake as a tribute "If I were going to do something like that (as a tribute ) I'd get permission first. If you respect somebody you ask their permission to diddle around with their work. You don't just go and do it."
Henley has no problem with Eagles songs being covered by other artists, the most recent high profile cover was Michael Buble's remake of Heartache Tonight.
"You can record anyone's song you like," Henley said. "It's called a compulsory license. That's not what Mr. Ocean nor Okkervil River did. They took the song and they changed it. they put their own stuff on it. Michael Buble did a totally legal cover, that's standard procedure."
Frank Ocean has been contacted for comment via his Australian record company, Universal.
The Eagles tour Australia in February/March next year.
http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/music/don-henley-of-the-eagles-accuses-frank-ocean-of-stealing-his-song/story-e6frfn09-1226941446957
-Solters
____________________________________________
From: Dean Torrence
Subject: HOW MANY MEMBERS OF THE ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME:
Hey Bob,
Got an ex mayor of "Surf City" Huntington Beach and a bunch of movers and shakers who want to take on the task of shaking up The R&R Hall of Fame. I told them that they are wasting their time, tried to explain to them that music people aren't normal so a normal set of facts will not compute with these arrogant dimwits, but they want to give it ago anyway.
They asked me to come up with some talking points, so I did.
You are more than welcome to add some of your own if you want.
I keep telling these guys that I really don't care, I don't give a s___ about the R&RHOF
Now if Jan were still with us, then that's something totally different. He would have loved to have been recognized and he deserved it!
So if they couldn't give it to him when he was alive, then f___ them!
But I wrote the talking points anyway because ..... well it was kinda fun.
1. HOW MANY MEMBERS OF THE ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME:
At 17 years old, wrote and then recorded a top 10 record (Jenny Lee) in his parents' garage, using two home tape recorders.
I would say none.
But Jan Berry did.
2. HOW MANY MEMBERS OF THE ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME:
At 18 years old, recorded another top 10 record (Baby Talk) in his parents' garage, using the same two home tape recorders.
I would say none.
But Jan Berry did.
3. HOW MANY MEMBERS OF THE ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME:
At 18 years old, had the wherewithal to hand pick their own management team.
I would say none.
But Jan Berry did, and he ended up picking two guys that had never managed before and never produced a record before. Jan Berry at 18 years old talked two 25 year olds, Herb Alpert and Lou Adler, into leaving their musical association with the super-talented Sam Cooke and joining the fledgling Jan & Dean Team. Just a few years later, Sam Cooke at the height of his career was shot and killed. Seems like Herb and Lou made the right decision.
Herb Alpert and Lou Adler went on to become legends in the music industry and they are in The R&R Hall of Fame.
Recently, Lou and Dean were having a great visit, reminiscing about how much fun they had making Rock & Roll records.
Dean used this opportunity to thank Lou for joining the team, even though it was probably a risky choice at the time for Lou and Herb, but in Dean's mind, if Lou and Herb had decided that it was indeed too risky and decided not to work with Jan & Dean, Dean was convinced that Jan & Dean would not have had a career. Lou answered right back by saying that he and Herb may not have had careers if it weren't for their successful association with Jan & Dean.
4. HOW MANY MEMBERS OF THE ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME:
Wrote most of their own songs.
Some did.
Jan & Dean did too.
5. HOW MANY MEMBERS OF THE ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME:
Produced their own records.
99% did not.
But Jan Berry did.
6. HOW MANY MEMBERS OF THE ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME:
Arranged their own records.
99% did not.
But Jan Berry did.
7. HOW MANY MEMBERS OF THE ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME:
Hand picked their own studio musicians and that group became such a force in the world of studio musicians that they became their own entity and were affectionately called "The Wrecking Crew."
Next to none.
But Jan Berry did.
8. HOW MANY MEMBERS OF THE ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME:
Suggested to Brian Wilson that he should use The Wrecking Crew to cut his basic tracks and not wait for his own band to get off the road to record.
I would say none.
But Jan Berry did.
And Brian's tracks got exponentially better from that point on.
9. HOW MANY MEMBERS OF THE ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME:
That were recording in the early 60s experimented with using two drummers in the recording studio, giving the drummers written identical parts.
And these parts were written by the artist.
I would say none.
But Jan Berry did.
10. HOW MANY MEMBERS OF THE ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME:
Were directly involved with their own Branding, Packaging and Advertising Campaigns.
Next to none.
But Jan & Dean were.
11. HOW MANY MEMBERS OF THE ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME:
Were full time college students while making 30 chart records and 7 top 10 records.
I would say none.
Jan graduated Pre-Med from UCLA with a degree.
Dean graduated from The School of Architecture and Fine Arts at USC with a degree.
12. HOW MANY MEMBERS OF THE ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME:
Got 3 Grammy Nominations and a Grammy for record packaging.
I would say none.
But Dean Torrence did.
13. HOW MANY MEMBERS OF THE ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME:
Had a big budget film made about their careers that more than 45 million people viewed.
Next to none.
Jan & Dean did.
14. HOW MANY MEMBERS OF THE ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME:
Inspired Tom Hanks to write and produce a movie about early 60s rock & roll music.
I would say none.
Jan & Dean did.
15. HOW MANY MEMBERS OF THE ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME:
Have had Proclamations and Resolutions from major cities and a major state acknowledging their monumental impact on tourism to these major cities.
Next to none.
Jan & Dean have.
City of Los Angeles Proclamation, June 20, 1980
"Whereas, California beaches are a part of the State's particular lifestyle, both as in-state and international attractions; and Los Angeles is known throughout the world as "Surf City" and whereas Jan Berry and Dean Torrence wrote the song "Surf City" in the early sixties and it became an anthem that put the city on the rock & roll map and in the hearts of teenagers in London, Tokyo, Stuttgart, Paris and other world capitols and whereas, Jan & Dean's songs reflected the particular glories of the California Life, The Sun, The Beach and The Automobile; and no tourist board or chamber of commerce could have presented a style of living so attractive as Jan & Dean did during their best selling, chart topping songs."
California Assembly Resolution, August 24, 1994
"Whereas, Throughout their careers, Jan & Dean have made a lasting impression on millions of fans, and their immense and varied talents have earned for them the respect of their professional associates and the general community alike; now, therefore, be it Resolved that Jan & Dean be commended for their promoting California's indigenous music and lifestyle, and their exemplary musical talent and ability, applauded on the success they have deservedly achieved throughout their careers, and extended best wishes for continued success in the future."
16. HOW MANY MEMBERS OF THE ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME:
Have had a major city trademark the title of one of their hit records to use exclusively in their branding and marketing campaigns.
I would say none.
Jan & Dean have.
www.surfcityusa.com
17. HOW MANY MEMBERS OF THE ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME:
Toured in their original form for more than 45 years.
Other than single artists, next to none
Jan & Dean did, up until Jan Berry's passing in 2004.
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