No, he didn't die, but he ought to be sainted. Karaoke, on the other hand, should die a miserable violent death. http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/Music/11/10/leisure.karaoke.reut/index.html Chuck Berry sues karaoke distributors Thursday, November 10, 2005; Posted: 9:03 a.m. EST (14:03 GMT) LOS ANGELES, California (Reuters) -- Rock 'n' roll pioneer Chuck Berry has sued three leading karaoke music distributors, claiming they sold sing-along versions of his most popular hits without paying royalties or obtaining licenses. If he prevails in court, Berry, 79, stands to gain several hundred thousand dollars for each of his songs, including such hits as "Johnny B. Goode," "Maybellene" and "My Ding-A-Ling," his lawyer, Peter Haviland, told Reuters Wednesday. His lawsuit filed Monday names three leading karaoke distributors in North America -- UAV Corp. of Fort Mill, South Carolina, Madacy Entertainment of Montreal and Top Tunes Inc. of Hilliard, Ohio. Representatives from the three companies could not immediately be reached for comment. Karaoke is a sing-along genre that originated in Japan largely as a nightclub novelty has turned into a highly lucrative retail business as it increasingly moves from bar and restaurant lounges to family living rooms. Haviland also represents several copyright holders of lesser-known songs who filed similar actions in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles. The suits seek royalties that are alleged to have gone uncollected on more than two dozen songs in all. Unlike many recording stars of his era, Berry owns all the publishing rights to his songs through his Isalee Music Co., his attorneys said. A New York Times article in May estimated the collective revenues generated by karaoke record labels at $50 million a year.
A B S O L U T E B R I L L I A N C E When I was a little bitty boy my grandmother bought me a cute little toy Silver bells hangin' on a string she told me it was my ding a ling My ding a ling, my ding a ling I want to play with my ding a ling My ding a ling, my ding a ling I want to play with my ding a ling And then mother took me to Grammer School But I stopped all in the vestibule Every time that bell would ring catched me playin' with my ding a ling Once I was climbing the garden wall I slipped and had a terrible fall I fell so hard I heard bells ring but held on to my ding a ling Once I was swimming cross Turtle creek many snappers all around my feet Shure was hard swimming cross that thing with both hands holdin' my ding a ling This here song it ain't so sad the cutest little song you ever had those of you who will not sing You must be playin' with your own ding a ling My ding a ling Your ding a ling, your ding a ling We saw you playin' with your ding a ling My ding a ling everybody sing I want to play with my ding a ling
You seem to be missing the point. The Karaoke company is using songs he wrote, and not paying him for it.
"Hey Chuck, this is your cousin, Marvin... MARVIN BERRY... you know that sound you was looking for, well I think I found it!!!"
"Hey Chuck, it's your cousin, you know, Marvin BERRY. You know that new sound you were looking for, well listen to this." Marty McFly should be getting royalties too. EDIT: Damn you
"Hey Chuck, it's your cousin, you know, Marvin BERRY. You know that new sound you were looking for, well listen to this." Just kidding. Man, I hope Chuck doesn't start suing bands that play his songs.
Naaaah. If that happened, half the world's musicians would have to hire lawyers. If you play someone else's song onstage, it ain't no big thing. If you record someone else's song, and try to sell it on a CD without paying them royalties, that is a whole other subject.
I have a lot to say about this right now. 1) Back to the Future references are awesome. 2) I love Chuck Berry music very very much. His lyrics are so sly and well thought-out, it is a surprise that rock and roll got sorta lyrically sloppy afterwards. Because his words are just remarkably exact and terribly smart, witty and - at times - sorta revolutionary. "No Particular Place To Go," "Sweet Little 16" "Back in the USA," "Too Much Monkey Business," are super. "Brown Eyed Handsome Man" is just... well, let me say this, I understand the white racist resistance to rock and roll better after listening carefully to that song. Damn straight rock and roll was going to corrupt their precious teenagers. That song just combines guitar, backbeat, melody, humor, intelligence and a barely-encoded treatise on the fear and envy from White America to Black America, and that song came out in 1956 or something. Just remarkable. And I see why he is bitter and weird at this point, he was so ahead of his time, and he got crucified, repeatedly, for being what he was, which was a genius. He did not necessarily invent anything other than the combination of black sensibilities, music and perspective into a context that whites could understand. And his work is just so good. 3) I cant remember if I have recounted this on this board before, but the nearly-retired band Banana Blender Surprise, which I am in, was his backup band for a show in Galveston once. He tossed the two guitar players (me and our lead player) and the singer, and proceeded to do his schtick for exactly 45 minutes. Dude drove himself from the airport in a towncar, demanded a suitcase full of cash, wore a captains hat. He smelled not very good. You almost wondered for a second if it was the real Chuck Berry with the hat and sunglasses, it could have been anybody. Until he started to sing. Then it was like, "ooooooh, that's the guy." His voice is still perfect. He walked from the car to the stage, someone handed him a red Gibson ES 335, and he just started playing. No cues to the band as to the song, the key or anything. Just slammed out the CHuck Berry intro and let the drummer, bassist and pianist figure it the hell out. Turns out it was Roll Over Beethoven in D i think. Luckily, we do that kind of thing to each other in shows anyway, so the band was prepared. But he kept "tuning" his guitar as the show went on, and ended up in this weird half-key, playing "Memphis in this combination of B and B flat. He seemed to stump the guys with "promised land," which was pretty damn indecipherable until the last verse of so. But no one cared. He split about 7 minutes after walking offstage in the captains hat and the towncar. After the show in the tent: Promoter: "Hey Chuck! Can we get a picture of you with the band?" Chuck Berry: "No." Freaking awesome.
Sounds like a dick ~ didn't Chuck go to jail for forcing a girl into sex or something weird like that?
He was accused of putting camera in toilets in his house. I don't know what happened with that. Anyone?
