Re: Re: Greyboy - AAARRRHGGHGHH!

Elson Trinidad (elson@westworld.com)
Sat, 23 Mar 1996 15:44:37 -0800 (PST)


On 22 Mar 1996, Peter Wang wrote:

> blatant rip-off of Donald Byrd's... it's one thing to be influenced by a
> graphic style and quite another to rip it off and not do anything creative
> with the act. I am totally down with ripping off (i.e. subverting) corporate
> logos/consumer product identities etc. but it's a shame when it's not done
> with any flair or cerebral initiative....in this case it's just a lame
> attempt at packaging.

Now, now, give Loc (or the guy who designed the acover for "Loc'ed After
Dark") the benefit of a doubt. I mean, let's face it, the majority of Loc's
target audience probably has never seen that album, let alone heard of
Donald Byrd (not a diss, just fact). So it's not a matter of "Hey, let's
rip off a Blue Note album cover" so we can get that demographic..." at all.
Who knows, maybe Loc himself digs Byrd and it was one of his fantasies to
"Be Donald Byrd." Or maybe the cover designer wanted to give his own
props to Reid Miles.

Besides, I think FFRR is more guilty of ripping off a Blue Note cover for
that specific purpose in their "Giant Steps Vol 1" Comp, due to the
jazz/acid jazz connection. (And don't get me wrong, I like the music
that's contained within).

And when you talk about "subverting" corporate images, are you talking about
parody (i.e. the "Ford" logo saying "Fuct") or simply product placement
without permission? Those are two different things.

Elson

-30-
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Elson Trinidad, Los Angeles, CA
elson@westworld.com
http://www.westworld.com/~elson
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