This biting is more than inspiration….the angel wings, the multiple busby berkly clones, the drums, the linnear shapes booted into motion, etc... slamming the coffin lid and putting Lorella’s act 6 feet under . it’s one thing to reach into the past for inspiration like I do , but many of todays artists like bouncy, gaga, madonna, rhiana, ke$ha build a career flat out stealing from their less famous contempoarys struggling in the underground but taking risks as artists. Before their feet hit the bottom step of the stage and before they can ever get off the ground , someone with a mobile phone spreads the infoand wa-la- the rip-off begins with a huge budget.
Fine. I casually watched the "evidence" video. I can see the similarities. But I try to stay out of these Madonna vs. Gaga type of disputes because the truth is, everyone steals from everyone to some degree. But then things begin to make even less sense when she goes on to say that record companies won't fund new ideas ("it’s why they told dee-lite we were too weird to give tour support to or too gay sounding for any radio promotion or video funding ... they said 'but it dosn’t sound like anything on the radio so it’s too risky to fund'”) but then turns around and says the "tried and true" feeling of these stolen routines -- such as the one Beyonce pilfered -- is the "EXACT reason" record companies fund them, because they feel "familiar and safe. no risk. they’re selling mediocracy."
Huh? I don't wanna get into a bitch fight with Miss Lady Kier -- I had my Deee-Lite moment in 1990 like everyone else -- but I'm just trying to be clear. Are they safe or are they cutting edge? Are they original or are they mediocre? Or is she trying to say that record labels know about these fabulous underground artists, but will only jump on board when an established star is willing to "steal" from a less-known performer? If so, is this really such a surprise? Like it or not, record labels are a business, and as such are looking to make money. No one was stopping the Sugarhill Gang, the Staple Sisters or Willi Ninja from being great artists -- even Deee-Lite found a label that would eventually support them -- but that didn't necessarily make Blondie ("Rapture"/"Rapper's Delight") and Madonna ("Like a Prayer"/"I'll Take You There," "Vogue"/"Deep in Vogue") bringing their styles to the masses a bad thing.
She concludes:
5 comments:
I knew that Beyonce's performance was too cool to be original.
However, I am mixed in my feelings about Miss Kier's thoughts. If the artists who may have invented (I'm not sure that is the word I'm looking for) these types of performances are too avant-garde for the cheap ass record companies to support, I guess, as someone who likes to see more than just your average performance, it's cool to see these ideas hit the mainstream. It's very tricky I suppose.
Thanks for posting the Lady's thoughts Ken.
What I know for sure is that GREEN is NOT Lady Miss Kier's colour. And, yes, I ripped off the "u" in [colour] from the British!!!!
If you watch Beyonce's new video, she appears to be channeling Shakira and Jennifer Lopez in style.
who died and made you queen.
she does have a valid point(Miss Kier)but she is a struggling artist(after all of this years) but I am assuming you as a blogger has more power than her,besides you end up or read her blog daily.don't be so mean if you are going to use her as a reference. R-E-S-P-E-C-T.
as to the refence beyonce did copy the italian girl , even my niece (she is 11 years old) said she looks like a shakira wanna be.
beyonce was never original , she is from the bad side of texas!!!
Dee-lite was supposed to be some kind of totally original thing? They struck me as clubkids like everyone else back then, and their music is not still being listened to.
It's one thing to strive for originality, but to paint with a broad brush basically every other artist as being derivative—when ALL ARTISTS ARE DERIVATIVE—just comes off as exactly what it is: Sour. Old. Grapes.
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