the My New Band meme on Facebook

[sweetcell]

burning up FB this week: creating randomly-generated album covers for fictional bands.  the instructions are as follows:

1 - Go to Wikipedia and hit ?random? or click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random
The title of the first random wikipedia article you get is the name of your band.

2 - Go to "Random quotations" or click http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3
The last four or five words of the very last quote of the page is the title of your first album.

3 - Go to flickr and click on ?explore the last seven days? or click http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days
Third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.

4 - Use Photoshop or similar imaging software to put it all together.

5 - Post it with this text in the "caption" and TAG the friends you want to join in.

there are now several groups dedicated to this "artform", for example http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=8394333246

what's so great about this?  about 75% of these randomly-generated album covers are indistinguishable from the typical NME/pitchfork/BV/etc fodder.  one of my friends called it a "a subtle dig at the recording, design, and marketing industries" whereas i see it as a wholesale indictment.  seriously, tell me these are the latest products from an indie act from montreal:

[killsaly]

I didnt have photoshop, but with paint:

[sweetcell]

also done with MS Paint:

[Got Haggis?]

[eros]

I was wondering when someone was going to start this one.

[Relaxer]

These are highly impressive and if real, I would illegally download each and every one of them. Take THAT, Obama's America

[sweetcell]

edit: nevermind.  stupid firewall.

[kosmo vinyl]

already working on my side project

[kosmo vinyl]

In the spirit of my new band, I present my downtempo dub unit.... since it's my side project it's only fair i was a bit pickier with the name, image and quote... Seeing as my father is a Newton scholar it's fitting his quote would show up on the initial random quote search, which is prompted the creation of the side project to go along with it.

[eros]

In the spirit of my new band, I present my downtempo dub unit.... since it's my side project it's only fair i was a bit pickier with the name, image and quote... Seeing as my father is a Newton scholar it's fitting his quote would show up on the initial random quote search, which is prompted the creation of the side project to go along with it.

You'd better hope the Gallagher brothers don't sue you for stealing their album title.

[kosmo vinyl]

In the spirit of my new band, I present my downtempo dub unit.... since it's my side project it's only fair i was a bit pickier with the name, image and quote... Seeing as my father is a Newton scholar it's fitting his quote would show up on the initial random quote search, which is prompted the creation of the side project to go along with it.

You'd better hope the Gallagher brothers don't sue you for stealing their album title.

Seeing as it was taken from a famous quote from Issac Newton, I don't think they could make much of a case

[sweetcell]

Seeing as it was taken from a famous quote from Issac Newton, I don't think they could make much of a case

i'm relatively confident that in this case oasis could make a strong case against you for copyright infringement, because in the music world the phrase is associated with their album.  you would be safe opening a coffee shop or writing a book entitled "standing on the shoulders of giants", but it's a no-go for an album name. 

hoya?  vansmack?  bueller?

[killsaly]

True, but it is from a quote, and not of Noels brain.  I think you would be allright.

[kosmo vinyl]

well don't think oasis would have much of case... from allmusic.com

1993 -   Illustrious Theatre Orchestr Standing on the Shoulder of Giants       Trompe L'oreille   Classical
 2000   Oasis    Standing on the Shoulder of Giants       Epic   Pop/Rock
1999   Bill Lloyd   Standing on the Shoulders of Giants       Koch International   Pop/Rock
2000   Tribe of Gypsies       Standing on the Shoulders of Giants       JVC/Victor   Pop/Rock
2008   Metaform   Listen Now!   Standing on the Shoulders of Giants       Just   Electro

I don't think the title of album can be copyrighted, especially when it's based on something taken from the public domain and i'm one could lots of examples wih albums using the same title.

as are song titles....

[Justin Tonation]

Seeing as it was taken from a famous quote from Issac Newton, I don't think they could make much of a case

i'm relatively confident that in this case oasis could make a strong case against you for copyright infringement, because in the music world the phrase is associated with their album.  you would be safe opening a coffee shop or writing a book entitled "standing on the shoulders of giants", but it's a no-go for an album name. 

hoya?  vansmack?  bueller?

Titles cannot be copyrighted, e.g. Let It Be. They can, however, be trademarked for a substantial price, e.g. Star Wars.