Thanks for replying to my questions in such a verbose fashion Marshall. I wasn't expecting so much detail, but as others have already mentioned - what a fantastic read! I didn't know anything about all the drama that had ensued with the whole $150k thing - wow.
Regarding the use of samples, I personally don't have a problem with it
only if the musician does something to make an even better sounding piece of music with it. Throughout history, artists (of all sorts, not just musicians) have "borrowed" from the work of their heros, influences and idols in order learn from them and to to refine their own personal work. I use samples from time to time, but they are usually just individual drum hits from an old record - or a sample that I've processed so heavily that its source is no longer recognizable.
On the other hand -- When someone samples a hook from a track, throws a beat on top of it, and just does something like open & close a lopass filter on the hook, I have a serious problem with that. That's not creativity or respect, it's just plain talentless stealing (in my opinion).
I agree with you about the multitude of genres killing the dance music scene. I remember when a club DJ would play anything and everything in their set - house, techno, synth-pop, disco, whatever - it didn't matter. As long as it was good music.
I do believe that the dance music culture is
very slowly beginning to return to that formula (or lack thereof). We are hearing a more eclectic mix of genres incorporated in some newer productions. Let's keep our fingers crossed and hope that DJs/producres free themselves from getting locked into specific genres. In the end, it's all dance music!
