Why does this keep happening?

 

Musician Eddy Grant has accused Gorillaz' of copying his song 'Time Warp' for their song 'Stylo'.

 

When Stylo came out, many comments on Youtube noted its similarity to Eddy Grant's song. But this story only broke after Eddy Grant took legal advice on Friday and then, on Monday, contacted some websites and news outlets in the UK to air his greivances. His initial email read:-

 

“I am outraged that the Gorillaz have infringed the copyright of my song “Time Warp” claiming their song “Stylo” to be an original composition. My song sits almost note to note with their release and is a blatant rip off. “Time Warp” is a very popular song and has been a staple of the DJ scene for many years and I feel total disrespect from Gorilliaz and their management company, especially as they are an established act. I am very angry that this was not picked up by our mutual publisher EMI ‘s administration division. I do not blame my publishers but, the state of the industry at the current time with all labels and publishers folding into one and becoming incestuous. It’s such an obvious copy that from day one the band and their management should have taken control of this situation with EMI Publishing. I would like the outcome to be that the band admits that they have lifted my song, that I have a full credit for the song and an apology from the band.”

 

A further update then came when the NME contacted Grant to ask him questions about the statement. From NME.COM:-

"Grant said he feels the keyboard section on his song is the same as the recent release from Damon Albarn and co, and even suggested that the track's creators were aware of the clash. "Damon Albarn knows in his heart of hearts – it's unfortunate that we cant get into people's hearts – he knows that this is a song that he's loved, in his club days…I don't know the guy…but he knows this is a song he loves," he claimed, although he admitted that he had never met Albarn and had not realised the Blur man was behind Gorillaz until recently. Ironically, Grant explained that both he and Gorillaz/Albarn share the same publishing company, EMI, and was critical that they had not highlighted the issue to him before the new song's release. "It has to go back to the beginning, where it should have started with a phone call from Damon to my publisher. My publisher would have contacted me – the publisher being of course the same EMI that looks after his [music]," he explained. Grant suggested EMI have consulted a musicologist to compare the two tracks before he had been made aware of 'Stylo''s existence. "In a properly configured relationship I would have gotten a call from EMI to say, 'Damon wants to use 'Time Warp'. What arrangement can you guys come to? Would you claim 100 per cent, would you claim 60 per cent, or 70 per cent of whatever it is?'," he suggested. "That phone call never came. Instead what happened is somebody went straight to a musicologist, implying that there was some kind of pre-knowledge of some kind of infringement." A spokesperson for EMI Publishing told NME.COM: "This is a private matter between Eddy Grant and Gorillaz, and we're not intending to make any further comment."

 

Today the newspaper The Independent has a piece on the story (read it here), which includes some new quotes from Eddy, who has apparently vowed to "take it to God, let alone the courts". Nobody else has been able to confirm whether a musicologist was instructed by EMI to compare Stylo and Time Warp.

Cos people are greedy pricks.

um.... no.

The original song is so simple, I dont really think it was plagiarism.

hmmm well.. I have to say, it DOES sound a bit too 'similar'...

 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aROS9vf2pRk&feature=player_embedded]YouTube- Eddy Grant - Time Warp[/ame]

 

 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9vAOzYz-Qs]YouTube- Gorillaz - Stylo (HD)[/ame]

 

 

but I love Damon... so he can do no wrong in my eyes.. :kiss::blush: lol

I'm so sick of greedy musicians! For every song that is wrote today by any artist I'm sure somebody else has something that's similar! Get over it people. You and Joe Satriani can go stick it!!

I'm so sick of greedy musicians! For every song that is wrote today by any artist I'm sure somebody else has something that's similar! Get over it people. You and Joe Satriani can go stick it!!

 

:lol:

:facepalm:

 

You can't copyright a musical style. :bomb:

 

At least with this one it should be harder for all the youtubers to lay one song on top of the other.

I got a youtube account a while back just so I can say how much Joe Satriani sucks and is a untalented, worthless piece of s**t.

If this guy were smart, he wouldn't sue. He would come out and use the news-media to publicly thank the Gorillaz for their (apparent) deep interest in his music, and he'd show up to their concerts and give away copies of his albums. Free publicity!

If this guy were smart, he wouldn't sue. He would come out and use the news-media to publicly thank the Gorillaz for their (apparent) deep interest in his music, and he'd show up to their concerts and give away copies of his albums. Free publicity!

 

:P

If this guy were smart, he wouldn't sue. He would come out and use the news-media to publicly thank the Gorillaz for their (apparent) deep interest in his music, and he'd show up to their concerts and give away copies of his albums. Free publicity!

 

:lol: thats one way to embrace the flattery.... :P

If someone were to write a song that was really similar to one of my own I would make a joke out of it by doing a cover of something they did at a gig and say something like "this is a new song, I wrote this last night". In this case I'd do a cover of Clint Eastwood.