Fripp Vs. PPL & David Bowie Estate

[Zeuhlmate]

How about Ruth Underwood, George Duke, Napoleon, etc. in Zappas band ?

In jazz this would be a can of worms...

[whoislikegod]

How about Ruth Underwood, George Duke, Napoleon, etc. in Zappas band ?

In jazz this would be a can of worms...

In jazz this WOULD definitely be a can of worms, except that, in most cases, you wouldn't be talking about nearly the same amount of money that Bowie earned on the albums for which Fripp played.

In Zappa's case, I'd say there's a significant difference. Zappa wrote out parts for his players. Fripp was given the space to compose, more or less.

[happytheman]

I have serious doubts that "greater artistic status" was her sole motivation to sue Pink Floyd...more than 30 years later ! Actually the settlement awarded her 50% of the credits as a co-composer of TGGITS, which considering the massive worldwide success of DSOTM (4th best-selling rock album ever with 40+ millions copies sold) shouldn't be a paltry amount.

I always found this case interesting given the outcome... Someone here will correct me I'm sure.. From various interviews I've read / videos etc. the band and Rick in particular didn't really know what to do with the song.. listening to boots / demos early live recordings etc. of Great Gig didn't they have a preacher reciting end of rites scripture etc? Then when it came time to record the album they gave Clare some general "guidelines".. she basically improvised..she even came out of the sessions thinking she had screwed up and didn't like the results.. Rick and the other band members thought otherwise.. While I side with those who believe her contributions "make" the song what it is.. I would still credit her as singer.. hardly co-writing credits.. Rick wrote the song.. she sang on it.. as I said earlier plenty will disagree with this..

[viukkis]

One of the main reasons why Clare Torry was given a co-composer credit for TGGITS was that in Floyd's live performances the vocal was done pretty much in the same way as it is on the album. Therefore, it is not just any improvised solo part but the actual melody line of the song.

[Dave (in MA)]

But I seem to recall Frank ended up firing the entire band at the end of that tour, anyway, so if Ade hadn't accepted Bowie's offer, he'd have probably found himself unemployed very quickly.

My recollection was that the core of them quit to do that Missing Persons crap, and he filled in the vacancies with new players.

[GuitarGeek]

My recollection was that the core of them quit to do that Missing Persons crap, and he filled in the vacancies with new players.

First of all, you're talking about only two musicians there, Terry Bozzio and Patrick O'hearn. Secondly, "that Missing Persons crap" actually came a few years later. In between working for Frank and MP, Terry and Patrick were in Group 87.

In his book, Of Course I Said Yes, Arthur Barrow says Frank fired Terry because he improvised too much. And I believe it was Belew himself who said Frank ended up firing the entire band on the plane ride back to the US at the end of the January/February 78 tour. On the other hand, apparently, Ed Mann, Peter Wolf, and Tommy Mars all played on Frank's next tour, which began in August 78, so who knows if Frank fired everyone, then recalled those three guys (and later, Patrick O'hearn) or what happened. Maybe it was just Terry and Patrick who got fired, and then later, Frank recalled Patrick for the shows towards the end of the autumn 78 tour.