Topic: New Zealand Idol Song Passed Off As Original

As reported on undercover.com.au -

A controversy is brewing after a New Zealand Idol runner-up tried to pass off as original a song that was actually written and recorded by Austin band Vallejo.

Idol contestant Michael Murphy has recorded the song 'So Damn Beautiful' and has been referring to it as an original song and that news has made it all the way back to Vallejo. "This is all a surprise to us," says drummer Alejandro Vallejo. "We're currently following up on the details and are looking into our options."

Vallejo's version was featured on their 2002 album 'Stereo'. It was written in Miami in January 2002.

Murphy's manager Paul Ellis says he came across the song in New York two years ago when he was working with co-writer Chris Rodriguez. He claims he never knew the song had been recorded by Vallejo although it had been nominated for a Grammy.

The band became aware of the situation on Thursday after being contacted by Regan Cunliffe at idolblog.com.

Ellis told the New Zealand Herald the incident is a "storm in a teacup" and is accusing the person who informed to the band of being an illegal downloader.

It can't quite be as bad as William Hung's version of She Bangs.

*still has nightmares from that*

I wonder what William Hung is up to now.

He was hilarious!

We have an older asian lady who was on Rove (live talk/chat show type thing) a few weeks ago ... she was an awful singer but had sold a lot of albums. God only knows why.

Talking about idols, here's another fool

...The hell? The guy rips off a song and then accuses the music affondiciado who caught him of piracy? Plaguarism is a far worse crime.

Just so we're all on the level, here's how non-original songs work accoridng to western law which is all pretty much identical:

1. Original song recorded by artist and released

2. Original artist retains right to decide who can release the first cover of their song. The artist can put this decision off for several decades until the song is no longer in copyright if they wish. This has happened when popular artists who have wised up want to f*** their parent label.

3. After the first cover has been released (and royalties paid to the orginal artist) the song is open for anyone to record a cover. If another artist wishes to do the cover, they contact and negotiate royalties with the original artist. If the new artist forgoes this, a standard royalty fee as defined by law is applied and must be paid. This standard royalty fee is much higher than most negotiated royalties, but still affordable. This means even the most popular song ever ever ever can still be re-recorded if the original artist wants too much.

Anyway, I'm pretty sure mis-representing someone elses work is illegal too, regardless of if this chump negotiated then paid his royalties - and it doesn't sound like the song is old enough to have a designated initial-cover performance in place.

I'd hate to see a dishonest f***er like that gaining stardom; although this pretty much murders his chances.

Also of interest: Natalie Imbruglia's "Torn" was a cover of a song by a Swedish band, although presumably part of the deal was that she was allowed to claim it was an original song and everyone kept hush-hush about it; although eventually word leaked out and headlines like "Torn - Ripped!" came out. Trust the aussies to turn a scandal into a pun.

Edit: My bad, it was the Danes then the Nords. I knew there was something fishy about the Swedes laying claim to actual music. Link here.

The artist may be an innocent here. He is nothing more than a public face.

It is far more likely that the managerial/production team did the dirty.