Pollyanna
Platinum Member
In the news:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2006/may/16/topstories3.arts
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2006/may/16/topstories3.arts
Aston "Family Man" Barrett, the 60-year-old guitarist who believes he is the author of the bass line which gave Marley's late-1970s hits their inimitable rhythm, failed yesterday in his latest legal bid for a multimillion-pound slice of the Marley musical empire.
In 1974, Marley 's original two collaborators, Neville "Bunny" Livingstone and Peter McIntosh, left. The new group, Bob Marley and the Wailers, included the Barrett brothers and Al Anderson for the first time. Wittington Winter, a studio assistant at 56 Hope Road, told the court how the Barretts would compose songs together, Carlton - "lyrical, outspoken and often philosophical" - improvising words, he said, while "Family Man" added bass lines. "He [Carlton] would be talking and they would be playing and singing and humming ... When you say write [songs], you don't sit there with a pen and paper. It's more like an inspiration."
"Aston Barrett and his brother literally created the sound of the Wailers, though not for a minute to detract from the extraordinary songwriting ability of Mr Marley," Stephen Bate, representing the musician, told the judge. "It was the Barretts' unique sound which brought the Wailers international success."
The judge, however, agreed with arguments put by Island-Universal and the Marley family that Barrett surrendered his rights to any further royalties in a 1994 settlement in exchange for several hundred thousand dollars. He said: "I conclude that all the claims that Mr Aston Barrett brings in his personal capacity have been compromised by the settlement agreement."
How badly does that suck? The contributions of rhythm sections are so woefully underestimated in copyright law, which seems to be designed to mostly benefit vocalists and treble players.In 1974, Marley 's original two collaborators, Neville "Bunny" Livingstone and Peter McIntosh, left. The new group, Bob Marley and the Wailers, included the Barrett brothers and Al Anderson for the first time. Wittington Winter, a studio assistant at 56 Hope Road, told the court how the Barretts would compose songs together, Carlton - "lyrical, outspoken and often philosophical" - improvising words, he said, while "Family Man" added bass lines. "He [Carlton] would be talking and they would be playing and singing and humming ... When you say write [songs], you don't sit there with a pen and paper. It's more like an inspiration."
"Aston Barrett and his brother literally created the sound of the Wailers, though not for a minute to detract from the extraordinary songwriting ability of Mr Marley," Stephen Bate, representing the musician, told the judge. "It was the Barretts' unique sound which brought the Wailers international success."
The judge, however, agreed with arguments put by Island-Universal and the Marley family that Barrett surrendered his rights to any further royalties in a 1994 settlement in exchange for several hundred thousand dollars. He said: "I conclude that all the claims that Mr Aston Barrett brings in his personal capacity have been compromised by the settlement agreement."