Court battle over Bob Marley's music

[Tropicana]

A landmark copyright trial, regarding a number of songs recorded by legendary Reggae artiste, Bob Marley is to start in London on Tuesday.


The case involves Plaintiffs - Cayman Music and Defendants - Chris Blackwell's Blue Mountain Music.
One song at the centre of the case is Marley's "No Woman, No Cry."


Cayman Music is suing Blue Mountain Music, headed by Chris Blackwell for mis-attribution and diversion of income, among other things, in an attempt to retrieve 'No Woman, No Cry' and other songs.


Cayman Music is the original, long-standing publisher of Bob Marley's music.It represented his catalogue from 1967 to late 1976.


The defendants are one time publishing arm of Island Records and sometime publisher of various Bob Marley titles, from the mid 1970s to later in his career.

http://rjrnewsonline.com/local/court-battle-over-bob-marleys-music

[Reggae plus]

It SEEMS that quite a number of participants may have been short-changed along the way when it comes to all things concerning Bob's body of work. Not sure about this one here. I will say that without the influence and financial input of Mr. Blackwell that things MIGHT not have worked out as well as they did for the Wailers in general and for Bob in particular. Blackwell isn't the only one who comes under scrutiny when it comes to dealing with Bob's estate...from a musical sense.

Marketing Bob as a ROCK act through Island records was pure genious...the path that made the most of what Bob had to offer the world. Instrumentation and presentation were all part of what made for top of the line recognition and participation which set attendance records around the world...particularly in Europe. AND...as far as I know...'Legend' remains the biggest selling greatest hits package in ANY genre ever. Sales of other Island Marley albums have also been exceptional. So talent, timing and marketing all came together to make it work. And work it most certainly did...and does.

I would question whether Bunny or Peter's estate have seen everything they have coming. Maybe they have. Maybe they haven't. Family Man strikes me as a contributor who has yet to see his just financial reward. No doubt there are others. That's for the courts to 'decide' and for the lawyers to continue getting rich with.

While I fervently wish that Bob was still with us in the here and now...I AM glad that he hasn't had to witness the tom-foolery which has occured as a result of his plethora of musical and lyrical gifts. On this particular example as stated above...I feel the need to cut Chris a likkle bligh. It isn't just Bob's coat-tails which seem to tow people around the 'bay'.

[Blackstar*]

Hi, Reggae Plus. Great to see you on here.

Good insight with regards to the musical legacy of The Wailers and Bob himself.

On a more general, but related note, I think "European-style" publishing rights business stifles creativity and should probably be done away with altogether.

[Reggae plus]

The entire music industry has changed since Bob's time Blackstar. A whole new set of "old pirates" here to rob *I*. [and a public extremely disinterested in much of the so-called 'music' made for video consumption because by and large it isn't MUSIC at all...but rather computer generated *m u z a k* by and for posing simpletons who really don't appreciate music to begin with...mainly because they are incapable of writing, performing, producing or understanding the art]

How this has been allowed to happen is [according to my ears] criminal. Even the "merchant ship" wants nothing to do with it. Whatever the "book" is which so many 'artists' are supposedly fullfilling includes only and merely blank pages.

So? Yes...let's do away with it altogether...and start anew. The cream will rise.