Question regarding the no covers thing

[SirRobin1tothe3]

Alright, just as an example, let's take All the Young Dudes. It was written by David Bowie for Mott the Hoople to perform. Mott the Hoople had a big hit of it. Mott the Hoople were the first people to record it because Bowie gave them the song.

David Bowie then recorded his own version of the song later.

Supposing Bowie or Hoople wanted to put All the Young Dudes on the Rock Band Network, which one would count as the "cover" and not be allowed?

[davidshek]

So uh, are you just asking this hypothetically, or have you been in negotiations with Mott the Hoople and/or David Bowie to release this song on RBN?

Cause if you haven't, what difference does it make? The answer depends on who owns the publishing rights to the song. And since none of us know who truly owns the rights to that song, we cannot answer that question.

[SirRobin1tothe3]

So uh, are you just asking this hypothetically, or have you been in negotiations with Mott the Hoople and/or David Bowie to release this song on RBN?

Cause if you haven't, what difference does it make? The answer depends on who owns the publishing rights to the song. And since none of us know who truly owns the rights to that song, we cannot answer that question.

I'm asking hypothetically. And as for "what difference does it make," there are more examples than just All the Young Dudes, and one of those examples might want to appear on the RBN.

[CCDaDon]

You're asking if a band did a song written by someone else would be considered a cover if the person who wrote it ended up recording after the song was done?

I'm... not sure.

[Runesmith]

It's not a cover if they were the first artist to officially record the song.

For instance, even though Bowie wrote the song, his version of China Girl is considered a cover version because Iggy Pop recorded it first.

[HMXMister_Game]

The reason for "No Covers" in RBN is that you need both the publishing and master recording rights to the song to participate. In a cover situation, you cannot own both, and we don't have the resources to check the legitimacy of any claims.

The Bowie/Mott the Hoople example above had all sorts of lawyers and managers working out the details when the song got recorded and released.

[socrstopr]

I'm asking hypothetically. And as for "what difference does it make," there are more examples than just All the Young Dudes, and one of those examples might want to appear on the RBN.

The answer depends on who owns the publishing rights to the song. And since none of us know who truly owns the rights to that song, we cannot answer that question.

Reiterating for clarity, as David said, it depends entirely on who owns those rights. If you don't know that, you have more work to do before you can even consider using the song.

EDIT: Also what that HMX guy with the funny picture said right before me

[HMXMister_Game]

Do you think I'm funny? What am I, a clown? Do I amuse you?

[MrOwn1]

do you think i'm funny? What am i, a clown? Do i amuse you?

heh....
BWAHAHAHAHAHA YOU ARE HILARIOUS

[yaniv297]

Frankly I don't think either will be a problem. The "no-covers" rule, I believe, was made to prevent cover bands to release their covers as RB tracks (who wouldn't buy this?)
But if a big artist want to release a famous cover (for example, ifHendrix relatives wants to release "All Along the Watchtower"), I don't think they'll be much of a problem.