K'Nuckles

So I'm writing a concept album at the moment based on this:



I'm using character names and just basing the whole thing off of the story. Since the book's copyrighted and shit, will I need to write to them to get permission or is it all good? Edge of Sanity's Crimson and Crimson II are both based off of a book as well, so I dunno. The author's dead as well, so I can't really talk to him about it.

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TRAINS ARE COOL
TRAINS ARE ACE
BUT WHY DOES THOMAS HAVE A FACE?

rabidguitarist

Depends how long he's been dead for.

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K'Nuckles

2-3, maybe 4 years? I guess I could message his family, since a lot of people seem to be doing that on this fan run site.

__________________

TRAINS ARE COOL
TRAINS ARE ACE
BUT WHY DOES THOMAS HAVE A FACE?

blake1221

Similarly, I was planning on writing an album based solely around TS Eliot's The Waste Land. A song for each part, and still debating on whether I should use strictly lyrics from the poem or just make it about the poem itself.

Hmm.

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It's a very different winter now and I'm in a very different place, but I hope you're well.


Saintly Rows||Drifter

crazysam23_Atax

Wouldn't making it about the poem itself be more creative?

Anyway, TS, I'd write to the author's family. Better safe than sorry.

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I am on break from recording until I buy a new computer in June. Look at the bandcamp page to see the track list for upcoming EP "Discarnate".



Terry Prachett is funnier than you! Discworld

blake1221

Creativity's not my concern. Making the music match it would be more suiting. It's not like I'm going to be able to expand upon the greatest modernist work, so I'd probably rather it be an homage.

__________________

It's a very different winter now and I'm in a very different place, but I hope you're well.


Saintly Rows||Drifter

crazysam23_Atax

Then use the words of the poem as lyrics. Eliot's been dead for 50 years. It is an excellent poem, btw.

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I am on break from recording until I buy a new computer in June. Look at the bandcamp page to see the track list for upcoming EP "Discarnate".



Terry Prachett is funnier than you! Discworld

Portuguese_boy

Will your album be popular enough for anyone to give a shit about copyright issues?

Krieger91

Well, Sylvan wrote a song based on Beren and Luthien and Silmarillion and nothing happened to them and I don't think they payed anything..considering it was their first album and all..

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Johnny wishes he was famous

Spends his time alone in the basement

With Lennon and Cobain and

A guitar and a stereo

J-Dawg158

Not 100%, but I think that the publisher retains the rights to the use of material such as this, so I would think that you would have to contact the publisher of the book. I'm not a copyright expert though so

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Acϵ♠

Not long enough. Although under fair use and fair dealings law, you might be able to bypass obtaining copyright permissions. Best example i can think of is Pink Floyd and George Orwell's Animals, i don't *believe* they had to obtain copyright permissions and stuff but that was also a much different legal era.

I believe if you just blatantly copy and paste the text from that book into an album, you may run into some legal issues, but if you make enough small changes to the wording and diction then you should be fine.

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K'Nuckles

Extremely doubtful.

__________________

TRAINS ARE COOL
TRAINS ARE ACE
BUT WHY DOES THOMAS HAVE A FACE?