Weird Al Yankovic?

[phroxenphyre]

I'm pretty sure the No Covers rule exists solely to prevent garage bands from just performing their favourite songs and uploading them to circumvent licensing the song properly. I'm sure if Weird Al himself produced the tracks, HMX would have no problem letting him release it.

The real question is whether Weird Al has sufficient control over his works to put them in Rock Band. If he's expressed desire to be in the games and is waiting to be approached, then I would assume that he does have that control or at least believes he can make it happen.

[FujiSkunk]

I'm pretty sure the No Covers rule exists solely to prevent garage bands from just performing their favourite songs and uploading them to circumvent licensing the song properly.

Off on a slight tangent, I suspect HMX is less concerned about bands making sure their songs are licensed properly than it is about the possibility of an outfit like Wavegroup flooding the RBN with a bunch of "as made famous by" covers that potentially could make the real groups shy away from offering their songs to the game.

One small piece of evidence in favor of that is the upcoming tracks from Buckner and Garcia's Pac-Man Fever. The proper licensing to secure permission for all those video game sound effects had to have been far more complex than the proper licensing for a cover song, but still the songs will be in the RBN.

The real question is whether Weird Al has sufficient control over his works to put them in Rock Band. If he's expressed desire to be in the games and is waiting to be approached, then I would assume that he does have that control or at least believes he can make it happen.

I have little doubt he can make it happen, but like all the other groups we're hoping to see in the game, it's a matter of effort, communication, timing and luck. Keep your fingers crossed.

[Edify1]

Yes, I'm pretty sure HMX has said that his parody songs would count as a cover and thus not be allowed. His original songs could be released though.

I'm flabbergasted that Harmonix would release a statement about his use of parodies in Rock Band Network, and yet never release any of his songs as DLC.

[SirDavidTLynch]

That this discussion is necessary is half the reason I'd rather see original songs than parodies of songs we already have.

[Arcanon]

I'm flabbergasted that Harmonix would release a statement about his use of parodies in Rock Band Network, and yet never release any of his songs as DLC.

I don't believe HMX ever mentioned him specifically. If I recall correctly, the question about parodies came up when someone asked about another person's parodies of songs, and the answer was something to the extent of "parodies count as covers for RBN so they're not allowed."

[LuigiHann]

It's also worth noting that this was just forum moderators and community team staff offering their interpretation of the rules as they might be applied to Weird Al. There was no "official statement" from the company or anything like that. And I know a lot of the moderators/community people would love to see some Weird Al dlc, but they don't particularly have the sway to influence DLC, especially if some other factors are acting against them. Who knows.

[Behonkiss]

Does anyone know of any way to contact Al or his label? If he was made aware of RBN, he might spur something himself.

[MourganDespana]

Songs like:

The Night Santa Went Crazy
CNR
Dare to be Stupid

Could be licensed. It would all be up to the record label to allow you to get the masters and put them through testing.

Those three songs would be great gets though.