Bowie Mash-Up: Looking for Water and Controversy
April 30th, 2004These savvy fellas make such a big stink about David Bowie’s Mash-Up contest, you’d think there was a legitimate concern that it’s somehow unethical. But let’s take a step back, drop the latitude (present company included), and look at what’s really going on.
First, a bit of history for the people who may not be familiar with the term “mash-up.” A mash-up is simply taking two completely different songs and combining them into one song through digital manipulation. DJ Dangermouse has popularized this notion by combining the vocals of rapper Jay-Z’s Black Album with the rhythm and harmonies of the Beatles’ famous White Album, creating an entire album he’s called the Grey Album. Clever enough for you? Wait, it gets even better. The thing is an absolutely brilliant piece of work. No kidding. Just listen to it and see if you don’t agree.
The rightful attention this new form has achieved has been the subject of some recent debate, which is just an extension of the “who really owns music, anyway” question first sparked by sampling in the early 90’s. Now Bowie, an admitted dabbler of “hybrid” art forms since his first rock/mime performance nearly thirty years ago has embraced the mash-up art form and sponsored a competition where contestants are free to use his music. The official rules, however, state that the completed songs will belong to Bowie, not the mash-up-er, er… per se. While this may be a potentially lucrative position for Bowie to be in if the entries are any good, it’s not a crime as far as I can see, nor is it anything to get your squirrel hair paint brushes all tied up in a knot over. After all, the music does belong to Bowie in the first place. And if anyone has a problem with it, they can certainly not enter the contest. Those who do enter the contest, though, will not only get a shot at being semi-famous, they’ll potentially receive an Audi among other great prizes.
So it’s not really a crock of shit, as some have said. It’s a contest. And a pretty run of the mill one at that. In fact, I just entered a book cover contest with nearly all the same rules and clauses. Until something happens to drastically change copyright law, that’s just the way it’s going to be. Personally, the way I see it, Bowie has paid his artistic dues. If he uses the terms in his own contest to advance a creative (and capitalistic) gain, that’s his prerogative. He’s still the the most “hip” 57 year old I know.
But I do know how it is. Sometimes that clever coolness makes you want to jump right out and bite him on his thin white ass. And then the feeling goes away. Sensible respectability and a giving up of “props” sets back in and tells you where to go.
Laissez-faire, gentlemen. Laissez-faire.