Shankar's Contributions/Writing Credits

[Mr. Brian]

I was in a few bands in my youth that never got past the demo stage but one band I was in got featured on a professionally released CD compilation of our local music scene. We wouldn't have seen any money from it but I was a bit annoyed that the singer in working with the label had listed his name as the sole songwriting credit. He did bring the song to the table but I felt that music and arrangement was a collaborative effort of all band members. It was kind of a different song until we all got our hands on it. We broke up before it even got released anyway. Oh well.

[YoYoMan]

I was in a few bands in my youth that never got past the demo stage but one band I was in got featured on a professionally released CD compilation of our local music scene. We wouldn't have seen any money from it but I was a bit annoyed that the singer in working with the label had listed his name as the sole songwriting credit. He did bring the song to the table but I felt that music and arrangement was a collaborative effort of all band members. It was kind of a different song until we all got our hands on it. We broke up before it even got released anyway. Oh well.

Man, this stuff would infuriate me. I know people are all into "There's no I in TEAM", but I would not have any of that. IMO, writing a good song is about as big of an accomplishment as one can have, so I'm getting my credit!!!!

Johnny Marr is my favorite guitarist. A short term member of the Smiths disputes his writing credits for a song I like from him real well, "Ask".

One of my favorite pieces of music, the acoustic intro of "Over the Hills and Far Away" supposedly wasn't written by Jimmy Page. Pisses me off that Led Zeppelin ripped off a ton of stuff.

I'm real sensitive to credit. I know a lot of borrowing happens in music, but I still recognize a big distinction between borrowing and stealing.

[Mr. Brian]

One of my favorite pieces of music, the acoustic intro of "Over the Hills and Far Away" supposedly wasn't written by Jimmy Page.

Before I heard of the Bunnymen I was a big Zeppelin fan. I am aware of all the allegations but I never heard of this one.

I think in the case of the Zeppelin blues based songs this was deliberate at times but blues lends itself to that sort of thing and Page and Plant admit it to some degree in that early music. Blues musicians would take each others riffs all the time and borrow lyrics. Folk music was the same way. It was almost expected that other peoples tunes would show up in new versions or melodies would be exchanged. This really didn't become a problem until pop and rock music became a huge moneymaking venture.

For some of the the other contemporary allegations on Zeppelin I think it's a mixed bag of "no one will notice if I lift this bit" to something more subconscious. For example, back to the Beatles, I don't think George Harrison deliberately based My Sweet Lord on that Chiffons song. I think that was an old melody that was rolling around in his head and he wrote his own song. I had heard that McCartney was so sure he "stole" Yesterday when he came up with the tune that he was asking everyone he knew what it sounded like until he was convinced it was original.

[YoYoMan]

One of my favorite pieces of music, the acoustic intro of "Over the Hills and Far Away" supposedly wasn't written by Jimmy Page.

Before I heard of the Bunnymen I was a big Zeppelin fan. I am aware of all the allegations but I never heard of this one.

I think in the case of the Zeppelin blues based songs this was deliberate at times but blues lends itself to that sort of thing and Page and Plant admit it to some degree in that early music. Blues musicians would take each others riffs all the time and borrow lyrics. Folk music was the same way. It was almost expected that other peoples tunes would show up in new versions or melodies would be exchanged. This really didn't become a problem until pop and rock music became a huge moneymaking venture.

For some of the the other contemporary allegations on Zeppelin I think it's a mixed bag of "no one will notice if I lift this bit" to something more subconscious. For example, back to the Beatles, I don't think George Harrison deliberately based My Sweet Lord on that Chiffons song. I think that was an old melody that was rolling around in his head and he wrote his own song. I had heard that McCartney was so sure he "stole" Yesterday when he came up with the tune that he was asking everyone he knew what it sounded like until he was convinced it was original.

It's more that 95% of why I venerate most of my favorite bands is their original songwriting - right or wrong. If the reason I like a band is because they created this music, it's gonna be a bummer when I find out they just copied it. Even now, when I think of Led Zeppelin, that piece is probably the first bit that comes to mind.

Also, I just don't think it's that cool to take credit for creating something you didn't.

As I recall, they say that specific piece by Led Zeppelin was originally recorded by Davey Graham as "She Moved Through The Fair". I listened to it, and I didn't really hear it so much, but I'm sure ppl recognize the same chords or something. I know Jimmy Page was really into Davey Graham though. I think I read that piece was just as you said though - some folk music that had been around long before Davey Graham recorded it.

[YoYoMan]

Before I heard of the Bunnymen I was a big Zeppelin fan. I am aware of all the allegations but I never heard of this one.

Oh yeah - When you found the Bunnymen, did you have to make a choice between them and Led Zeppelin? Hahahah You don't like Led Zeppelin anymore?

Do you have your favorite bands listed anywhere on this site? I'd be interested to see it.


I'll just offer up my unsolicited list:

First Tier

1) Oasis - predominantly their first two albums & the load of b sides from that period. They hit when I was a freshman in college and have a bit of a sentimental place with me.

2) Led Zeppelin - mostly their third through fifth albums

3) The Smiths - I actually don't like Morrissey. Just like Marr's guitar real well.

4) Echo & the Bunnymen

Second Tier

5) Jesus & Mary Chain - primarily PsychoCandy & a couple b sides

6) Sonic Youth - almost exclusively Daydream Nation

7) T Rex

[Mr. Brian]

To answer your question, no it was a process where I started discovering all this music I didn't even know existed before a new radio station in town started playing it but I guess I did shun stuff like Zeppelin, Sabbath, The Who, Queen, etc for a while when I turned to bands like The Cure, Bunnymen, Smiths, New Order, The Clash, etc. I really don't play guitar much anymore but when I did I still cited Jimmy Page and Will Sergeant as my biggest dream influences.

[YoYoMan]

To answer your question, no it was a process where I started discovering all this music I didn't even know existed before a new radio station in town started playing it but I guess I did shun stuff like Zeppelin, Sabbath, The Who, Queen, etc for a while when I turned to bands like The Cure, Bunnymen, Smiths, New Order, The Clash, etc. I really don't play guitar much anymore but when I did I still cited Jimmy Page and Will Sergeant as my biggest dream influences.

Ah, the post-punk classics right there. As I have mentioned, post-punk is heavily represented among my favorite music as well. Early 80's Britain must have been an amazing place. There are bands we haven't even mentioned who really impress me (at certain periods of theirs) - like Siouxsie & the Banshees, Cocteau Twins, etc. I was just listening to Siouxsie & the Banshees, so they are on my mind. I actually might say they could be the first group to suck me into post-punk, after the era was over. Do you like them any?

It is very odd concerning my tastes, but I never have gotten into the Cure much besides a few songs. I have a good friend from college who is an over-the-top Cure fan. We used to trade music b/f it was so cheap. He could never get me into the Cure, and I couldn't get him into the Bunnymen. I would imagine there are loads of fans of both bands.

I also never got into New Order or the Clash, though I probably never gave it enough effort. I never cared much for Bernard Sumner's voice. But then I listen to Morrissey all the time when I listen to The Smiths, and I don't like his voice.

[black francis]

This topic fascinates me to no end. I've always felt that Alan Wilder should have received some songwriting credit when working on ML Gore's demos and I take a dim view to people who wait till their bandmates are dead then start claiming sole songwriting credits ala Tommy Ramone and Walter Lure. I myself have never been in a band bit I feel if someone brings a skeletal song and the rest is fleshed out with the band then they should share credits. I know some people have this urge to be seen as the "genius" or "talent" in the band but I hearken back to a Robert Smith quote about royalties and credit where he said he never wanted the Cure to break up over money. I respect that a lot.

[Dr Cheese]

I've reached the age where I can listen to what the hell I want without worrying about it being cool or not, I remember being into heavy rock and metal in my youth and wouldn't be caught dead listening to anything else for fear of having the piss taken by my like-minded peers. These days, fuck it, if I like the sound of it I'll listen to it.

One of the benefits of old age!

[fat cherry]

I kind of hated loads of the stuff my mates were into - all that seventies prog and metal. My grown up self occasionally dips into it and finds out its not all that bad - I even own a tangerine green album. When my mate wanted to start a band the only thing I could play was a load of chuck berry stuff, which I really liked anyway, and logically as were were forced to progess went onto a bit of the quo. All went tits up when they wanted to get clever and do zepp and wishbone ash and other stuff, AND brought in another guitar player who could do that stuff. Meanwhile my brother bought me a book 'a decade of the who', who i liked a bit, but townshend had annotated alot of the songs with these crazy chords which were strangely easy to play, so that was my mould of playing set. Though bands went different ways we did all stay mates more or less and did the big reunion thing a couple of years ago - and what did we play? Mostly sixties seventies, bit of punk new wave (three chords more or less yay!) and that oasis one that has a bit of chuck berry going on in the intro.

[fat cherry]

tangerine dream, what a numpty. Green? Dunno what was going on there. hoho

[Dr Cheese]

I remember going to see Tangerine Dream at the Royal Court in Liverpool in 1981, Stratosfear used to be one of my favourite albums.

Haven't listened to them for years but I reckon someone should remix their stuff and add some nice trancey drumbeats.

Or maybe not.

[YoYoMan]

I remember going to see Tangerine Dream at the Royal Court in Liverpool in 1981, Stratosfear used to be one of my favourite albums.

Haven't listened to them for years but I reckon someone should remix their stuff and add some nice trancey drumbeats.

Or maybe not.

Seems like British royalty is really into music venues. So many have "Royal" in their names. hahahaha