MUSICAL ISSUES IN COPYRIGHT LAW€¦ · Morrison Leahy Music v Lightbond [1993] EMLR 144 ... "Torn" (Natalie Imbruglia)

MUSICAL ISSUES IN COPYRIGHT LAWKevin Glover, Shortland Chambers

Musical worksMusical works

What is a musical work? Section 2, Copyright Act 1994: “Musical work” means a work consisting of music,

exclusive of any words intended to be sung or spoken with the music or any actions intended to be performed with the music.

John Cage

Musical worksMusical works

Note different works within a song Potentially:Music Lyrics as literary work Performer’s rights Album artwork

Peter Hayes v Phonogram Limited [2003] ECDR 11

Arrangements as musical worksArrangements as musical works

ZYX Music v King (20 Feb 1997, EWCA) “Please don’t go” KC and the Sunshine Band, Double You (Italy) and KWS

(UK) Sought licence, refused Injunction in Germany (Cologne) Injunction in Germany (Cologne) Arrangement protected

OwnershipOwnership

Hadley v Kemp (1999) 4 EMLR 589 (Spandau Ballet) Kemp wrote all music “Voluntary” paymentsy p y Joint authorship?

Fisher v Brooker [2009] UKHL 41 (Procol Harum) Fisher v Brooker [2009] UKHL 41 (Procol Harum) Organ part as 40%

OwnershipOwnership

Commonly dealt with by contract Procol Harum Pink Floyd The Smiths – Joyce v Morrissey (1998, EWCA)y y ( 99 , ) Performance-related rights vs songwriting

The Wiggles The Wiggles

Moral rightsMoral rights

Morrison Leahy Music v Lightbond [1993] EMLR 144 Wham! megamix

Confetti Records v Warner Music [2003] EWHC 1274 (Ch)1274 (Ch) “Burnin’” – Ant’ill Mob The Heartless Crew The Heartless Crew

Infringement – “inspiration”Infringement inspiration

Johann Pachelbel’s “Canon” "Let it be" (The Beatles) "Ladies and gentlemen we are floating in space"

(Spiritualized) "No woman, no cry" (Bob Marley) "All together now" (The Farm) All together now (The Farm) "Streets of London" (Roger Whittaker) "Basket case" (Green Day ) Basket case (Green Day ) "I'll C U when U get there" (Coolio)

Infringement – “inspiration”Infringement inspiration

Johann Pachelbel’s Canon (continued) "Domain" (Future Sound of London) "I should be so lucky" (Kylie Minogue) "Torn" (Natalie Imbruglia)(N g ) "Tunnel of love" (Dire Straits) "We're not gonna take it" (Twisted Sister) We re not gonna take it (Twisted Sister) "With or without you" (U2)

Infringement – “inspiration”Infringement inspiration

Procol Harum / JS Bach Lyricsy

Willie Dixon Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin

Ludlow Music v Robbie Williams [2001] FSR 19W d G h i Woody Guthrie

Parodied by Loudon Wainwright III, assigned copyright Robbie Williams

InfringementInfringement

Deliberate copying of a substantial part Sampling – 1980s/early 1990s The Rolling Stones / The Verve The Clash / Norman Cook/ N Shona Laing & The Crocodiles / Headless Chickens Rick James / MC Hammer Rick James / MC Hammer

InfringementInfringement

Meaning of “substantial part” Quality, not just quantity Can be small – low threshold? Hawkes & Son v Paramount Film Service (UK CA, 1934)( , 9 )

Infringement – “inspiration”Infringement inspiration

EMI Songs Australia v Larrikin Music Publishing [2011] FCAFC 47 “Kookaburra” “Down under”

InfringementInfringement

Subconscious (inferred?) copying Cryptomnesia Not found in Francis Day & Hunter v Bron [1963] 1 Ch

587 (EWCA) Bright Tunes Music Carp v Harrisongs Music Ltd (1976) Radiohead / The Hollies Radiohead / The Hollies

InfringementInfringement

Mash-ups E.g. “Paperback believer” Danger Mouse – “The Grey Album”

Fair useFair use

Parody as a defence?

ConclusionConclusion

Low levels of formality in ownership arrangements in bands

Musicians may rely upon managers, producers and lawyersy

Easy to allege plagiarism and difficult to defend if there is some similaritythere is some similarity

Several different rights in play