Here, Avril is being sued for ripping of the chorus from her inane "Girlfriend" skank track:
http://music.msn.com/music/article.aspx?news=267989&
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adzkV58Gpqs

And here is proof of her ripping off a Peaches track:
http://perezhilton.com/?p=1199
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0d2z-dWZmE

...and she still has fans. Sad.

Fuck I don't care for Avril.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Mike Angelo,

Well it's not like she writes her own songs. It seems kinda silly to target her when I doubt she's even heard of Peaches, let alone knows that track. Be mad at whoever told her to sing it.

quote:

Originally posted by sans_success:
It seems kinda silly to target her when I doubt she's even heard of Peaches, let alone knows that track.

Fair enough, but ignorance of the law is not a defense, accordingly to the courts.

quote:

Originally posted by sans_success:
Well it's not like she writes her own songs. It seems kinda silly to target her when I doubt she's even heard of Peaches, let alone knows that track. Be mad at whoever told her to sing it.

I think that the fact that she does not write her own songs is indicative of the quality of music she 'creates' as well as the status of popular music in our culture.

quote:

Originally posted by Mike Angelo:

quote:

Originally posted by sans_success:
Well it's not like she writes her own songs. It seems kinda silly to target her when I doubt she's even heard of Peaches, let alone knows that track. Be mad at whoever told her to sing it.

I think that the fact that she does not write her own songs is indicative of the quality of music she 'creates' as well as the status of popular music in our culture.

Well it certainly makes her less of an artist that she doesn't write her own songs, but my point that she most likely is told what to sing. If the writer did indeed rip the song off Avril probably wouldn't have a clue. She would just assume it was some other song they wrote. I'm not necessarily defending her but saying that she stole a song is a bit of a misnomer.

I should sue her too. Every time I hear one of her songs a little piece of my soul dies.

quote:

Originally posted by sans_success:
Well it certainly makes her less of an artist that she doesn't write her own songs...

Yeah, but I doubt anyone who listens to Avril Lavigne listens for the art. Attacking Avril for ripping off songs is a bit like the people who try to sue McDonald's for making unhealthy food. You knew what you were getting into.

quote:

Originally posted by EricG75:

quote:

Originally posted by sans_success:
Well it certainly makes her less of an artist that she doesn't write her own songs...

You knew what you were getting into.

I'm not sure that I agree with that. When the only music you know is the music that is offered by the mainstream, how can you know what you're getting into?

If we are to take the McDonald's metaphor farther (particularly now) and say that it may not be these people's faults for eating so poorly, it fits. If all you've known is junk food and haven't been introduced to healthy eating, it's nearly impossible to know what it is you are supposed to be eating and it isn't like McDonald's is advertising the adverse health effects related to their product.

That comment was probably more directed at music fans than the general public.

If you're talking about music or food, or just about anything really, there's two classes of people in the world - those who consume what's offered to them, or those that dig deeper to find out what's actually good. Let's face it, if you're only listening to Top 40 radio to find out what "good music" is, you're probably not that serious of a music fan. That's not exactly a new revelation, that's pretty much been the case since I've been alive. Occasionally, a fluke accident will occur and R.E.M. or Nirvana or the White Stripes will get a hit on their hands, but it's the exception to the rule.

quote:

Originally posted by EricG75:
That comment was probably more directed at music fans than the general public.

I think I may be extremely naive in my thinking, but I'd say that almost everyone is a 'music fan' regardless of what it is that they happen to listen to. Music seems to be a common link between all people and all cultures of the world, and simply because the general public in America listens to prepackaged, watered-down pop music, doesn't mean they enjoy music much less than you or I do. The difference seems to be that they do not know where to look for music and have been tricked into thinking that the radio has a monopoly on music itself. You could say that music seems to be a less integral part of their life than ours, but I'm certain that this is mainly due to the type of music they are offered by the mainstream.

quote:

Originally posted by Mike Angelo:
I think I may be extremely naive in my thinking, but I'd say that almost everyone is a 'music fan' regardless of what it is that they happen to listen to.

When I say "music fan", I mean crazy ass bastards like you and I who spend a good chunk of every day discovering music and writing about it on internet forums. There's a difference between liking music (which everyone does) and being fanatic about it.

quote:

Originally posted by EricG75:
Attacking Avril for ripping off songs is a bit like the people who try to sue McDonald's for making unhealthy food.

It's more like McDonald's sueing MacDonald's for making Big Micks and MacNuggets. Stealing is stealing, no matter how popular it may be. Avril is hardly Robin Hood.

quote:

Originally posted by Mike Angelo:
I think that the fact that she does not write her own songs is indicative of the quality of music she 'creates' as well as the status of popular music in our culture.

I could never for the life of me understand this sort of attitude. Who cares if she doesn't write the songs she sings? Neither did Frank Sinatra or Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau or Edith Piaf. I'd still take any of them over, say, Linkin Park.

There are a lot of people worthy of hate who write their own songs, and a lot worthy of hate who don't. I think you'd be hard pressed to prove that the average quality of one of those groups is higher than the other.

Would it not be better to suggest that the people who write her music are more worthy of scorn than the lady herself?

Personally, I find her records quite annoying with their catchy little choruses and boring 'by-the-numbers' structure. How much do they pay people to write that awful stuff?

If I was Avril, I'd probably be in a constant quandary on whether to stay with this bland production team for the money, or tell them to piss off and keep my dignity.

Strange that she's being sued - It would appear that she's just an employee and unaccountable for writing her music. I would hazzard a guess that she doesn't claim royalties for writing credits, so why sue HER? In fact why doesn't she find other writers who don't need to rip stuff off? I'm sure there's plenty out there.

She's an advertising tool for a corporate firm. Like Ronald McDonald or Jar Jar Binks. I completely understand why she would have chosen to do this - the money would be incredible and you'd get a lot of really big gigs, but you'd have to play some really shitty music to get there.

Who knows? In years to come, she may surprise everyone by releasing 9 albums of grindcore classics. If she's got the money, she can do whatever she wants (contracts permitting). One is reminded of the time Kylie Minogue went 'indie'.

I totally agree though. Just because an artist doesn't write, it is no indication that they are terrible. I think with commercial concerns such as this one, it's hard to tell what the strengths and weaknesses are, as the artist has virtually no control over what they do. Therefore, it is hard for the listener to see any individuality or creativity in the artist.

In such cases I evaluate the production team behind the artist instead. To be honest, the svengalis behind 'The Sugababes' are pretty good and have released some great music. Couldn't tell you about the strumpets who sing the songs though. They just stand about a bit and look nice to sell the stuff.

quote:

Strange that she's being sued - It would appear that she's just an employee and unaccountable for writing her music. I would hazzard a guess that she doesn't claim royalties for writing credits, so why sue HER?

Avril gets co-writing credits on some of her songs. Although some people have questioned the amount that she actually puts into the writing of the songs. Chantal Kreviazuk, who worked with Avril, said "I mean, Avril, a songwriter?" It sounds to me like Avril finagles her way into a songwriting credit in an attempt for some cred and royalties- but now it has backfired on her and she's getting sued for writing a song that she didn't even write. Funny.

That's really crap.

They take all the credit when the money's rolling in, but at the first sign of a lawsuit they hang the artist out to dry. Bunch of bastards. And I don't even like Avril Lasagne. In fact, I find her intensley annoying.

She must be supported by another load of 'industry mavericks' (see also 'sociopaths'). These are probably the same nobends who adminster nauseating bum-love to the likes of Simon C*well and Sharon Osbo*rne.

quote:

Originally posted by odysseyandoracle:
There are a lot of people worthy of hate who write their own songs, and a lot worthy of hate who don't. I think you'd be hard pressed to prove that the average quality of one of those groups is higher than the other.

I think there are a lot more Britney Spearses/Celine Dions/Destiny's Children then there are Maroon 5s and Linkin' Parks. It takes a lot more time and effort to shape and build a corporate wank band following than to just throw a banal studio team, a pile of money, and as much blow as they can snort at a talentless whore, then send the paparazzi after them for press. Plus, when Maroon 5 sucks, you can say "ah, well, at least they wrote and played their own songs." When Celine Dion sucks, all you've got is a series of costume changes. Avril Lavigne manages to embrace the worst of both worlds.
It's sad to say but the Rat Pack is long dead, and the blew up the Sands. They ain't coming back. Michael Buble is the closest thing this generation has, and he's pretty damn lame (though apparently a really nice guy). It was a different time back then. Gawd, I miss Dean Martin.

Another way to look at it is that if you hate someone like Avril, a pop machine, you only have to deal with a release from them every 2-3 years, tops. On the other hand, people like the abominable Chad Kroeger (Nickelback) aren't satisfied with just putting out regurgitated diarrhea under their own names, they have to pollute the airwaves under other artists' names too.

Jesus Christ, I hate Nickelback. They are probably one of the 5 worst bands ever.