Some of Music's Most Famous Lawsuits on Display
By Csaba Sukosd | August 7, 2018
With so many songs, musical styles, and influences, it's inevitable that some things will sound the same. The end result could be lawsuits.
Given the lengthy history between the music industry and legal system, Ohio Supreme Court law library staffers decided it was an appropriate theme for its display.
"The song 'I Fought the Law' came on, and I thought 'Well, you know, that's a display,'" said Michael Bradshaw, the law library's administrative assistant, who came up with the idea and put together the exhibit.
While a section of the display includes the debate over obscenity and the government's attempts to legislate it, the other three sections of the exhibit illustrate some form of copyright concern or stealing.
"There's a line between homage and outright theft. The court decides," said Bradshaw.
The first part of the display includes sampling, which is the technique of digitally encoding music or sound, and reusing it as part of a composition or recording. The second part includes cryptomnesia, which is a forgotten memory the artist believes is new and original. Last, the third part of the display features many lawsuits against iconic rock band Led Zeppelin.
"I didn't mean to devote as much space as I did, but there are just so many cases of Led Zeppelin," said Bradshaw.
Some of the other famous acts presented in the display include Bruno Mars, Madonna, The Rolling Stones, Elvis Presley, George Harrison, Public Enemy, and The Ramones.
The display is on exhibit until September 7th. It's located on the 11th floor in the law library, which is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.