Foo Fighters version of Darling Nikki is at number 19 on the modern rock billboard charts. Its on its 9th week and is at its peak so far. Its also one of the "gold" songs its one of the top songs to rise this week.

http://www.billboard.com/...modern.jsp

Good! Their version really rocks.
Is it on the album too or only as a single B-side?

Of course, Prince will be getting a check from ASCAP since he's the songwriter and this almost 20-year-old song is getting lots of airplay and selling as a single.

Which goes to say, if you want to make money in the music industry without the headache of someone owning your master's for 35 years, just be a songwriter.

A list of songwriters that are rich and never have to perform again because the royalty checks are flowing like a river (across, there are radio stations dedicated to these artists music):

1. Paul McCartney - The Beatles (Classic Rock and Breakfast with the Beatles)

2. Mick Jagger and Keith Richards - The Rolling Stones (Classic Rock)

3. Smokey Robinson - The Motown Sound (Oldies But Goodies)

Not to sound too 'old,' but what a difference 20 years makes! I still recall the radio stations refusing to play the original (at least in my market) over 'decency' issues . . .

incognito said:[quote]Of course, Prince will be getting a check from ASCAP since he's the songwriter and this almost 20-year-old song is getting lots of airplay and selling as a single.

Which goes to say, if you want to make money in the music industry without the headache of someone owning your master's for 35 years, just be a songwriter.

Incognito, please explain more about what exactly the difference is between writing a song and owning your own masters. For example, what type of money is Prince entitled to since he is the credited songwriter of "Darling Nikki" vs. what type of money is Warner Bros. entitled to since they own the "masters." If you can shed some light on this, I'd really appreciate it.

I heard it yesterday for the first time. I thought it was a great version. Pretty true to the original.

Phunk, If I can help a little. Prince doesn't own those songs anymore. He gets money for being the writer of those songs. If he owned the masters he would get 100% of the royalty money.As it is now he has to split with Warner Bro.Prince also has no rights to the songs.If someone wanted to use one of the songs in a TV commercial, Warner would give the ok,and Prince would get a piece of that action. He can rerecord then all over again ,but Warner ownes the masters. I hope this helped a little.

yes !!!

You can hear it here on a flash banner, it's just a loop of a verse but you can get a quick listen, under "listen to tracks"

http://de.click2music.co....haveitall/
[This message was edited Fri Jan 23 12:52:40 PST 2004 by MilkSode]
[This message was edited Fri Jan 23 12:53:58 PST 2004 by MilkSode]

Bull said:

Thanks Bull! So basically Prince is still making money off Darling Nikki 20 years later thanx to the Foo Fighters, but Warner Brothers were the ones who gave the Foo Fighters the "right" to cover Prince's song. So the reason why Prince had "slave" written on his face those years was not because he wasn't making money off his songs that were being sampled ("Pray" by MC Hammer sampling "When Doves Cry") but becuase he had no say in who could use his songs??? And to think, I thought all this time that Prince wasn't making any money at all from his previous creations...

Phunk said:

I orged you with more detail. But Prince signed a 50/50 Publishing deal with WB that's why all those records say Ecnirp/Controversy/Paisley Park/NPG - WB Publishing. He didn't sign away all his creative control like a lot of people have done before him. As a member of ASCAP whenever Prince's songs (since he is the songwriter and musician or composer of said works) are played on/in the
radio, TV, cable, bars, clubs, restaurants, shopping malls, concert halls and promoters, web sites, airlines, orchestras, etc ASCAP which tracks records gets money from these entities and sends the songwriter and musicians (Prince) royalty checks.

Alliasan said:

Yesterday, I heard some local dj's talking about blow jobs on the air. Imagine that happening 20yrs ago?

For all that dig FF's cover of "Nikki," you'd be wise to pick up their last album "One By One." It rocks and Foo Fighters continue to kick much ass!!

Alliasan said:

So you're probably around 35...like me. I heard this cover for the 1st time today on KROQ in Los Angeles. Who, to my knowledge, maybe played the song once or twice. They had one DJ (Dusty Streets, if anybody remembers...as I lube up by dentures...used to play "Sexuality" from time to time, and I believe Jed the Fish too, along w/"Controversy"). And this was the "progressive" station!

Oh, and as for the 'decency' issues: recall that it was Tipper Gore and her PMRC (or whatever) taking the song to task. If you had told her she'd be frenching w/her hubbie on national TV during his presidential campaign..."life: can be so nice"

For anybody else who lived here at the time, KDAY, "the" station for R&B wouldn't play it either at first (hell, it took forever for them to play "It's Like That" by Run DMC).

My impressions: first, shock and awe --> how DARE they! Then, hey pay the man. Then I listened a bit more and it wasn't too whiny...then heard the DRUMS...then heard how they couldn't touch the guitar solo. Then realized, yo, pay the man cuz way too many songs out now "borrow" and don't have to pay. (New Jonny Lang, anyone?)

THEN, heard it was the Foo Fighters...love Dave Grohl...realized why the drums were so kick @ss -- Zack baby! Made me wanna dance like the first time I requested it at a house party on Florence and... got into a lot of trouble and didn't know it dancing to that song. I shudder to think what would happen now!

THEN, realized...it's been 20 YEARS since I saw Prince & the Revolution in Long Beach...them doing "17 Days" behind the curtain was the coolest thing I'd ever seen, I thought. Good LAWD, I'm old!

For whoever stayed w/this ramble, thanks. Hey, wonder who will dare to remake "If I Was Your Girlfriend"? hahahahahaha (what's missing from the FooFighters' "Darlin' Nikki," eh? That and the backward masking!)

Peace, Piece, Love & Soul Ya'll--
TheBoostress

DredScott said:

Yes, Dave Grohl rules. As the drummer for Nirvana, as the man chosen to do "Tie Your Mother Down" with the remaining members of Queen (RIP Freddy), and as the man smart enough to get another kick @ss drummer for his band, Zach!

Dave's got life soul.

TheBoostress

Speaking of P songs being used in commercials, there is a "commercial" on the Armed Forces Network (they're really public service type commercials/propaganda) that has When Doves Cry playing. It shows two teens making out, and the guy tries to get the girl to have sex. The song stops while she thinks to herself "Oh my God, he wants to have sex. I'm not ready to have sex" blah blah blah...Finally she talks him out of having sex, and When Doves Cry starts playing again...Very amusing...

Uptown said:

Where do you live? I actually think it's quite fitting, seeing as the song was played during the "disputes" with moms & pops in Purple Rain.

BTW, anybody hear of a rerelease or something. It's been 20 years!

TheBoostress

TheBoostress said:

Actually, "If I was your girlfriend was redone by TLC a few years back. There version added a little more kick to the song, but stayed very true to the original sound. The only thing missing was that sort of eery physhodelic vibe that Prince often used when he was performing as Camile. It was a version that didn't add anything new to the original, but was a decent homage to Prince. I'd like to see the song REALLY get a new interpretation by artists who could do it. Say, The White Stripes, Sting, Bruce Springstene, or Creed.

Man do I miss Camile. This new Gi-Jehova alterego just doesn't work for me.

AsianBomb777 said:

And of course, Jay-Z and Beyonce ripped it off recently. Or "paid homage" to the track.

incognito said:

Which Beatles royalties does Mad Michael get then? I thought he had the songwriting royalties to Beatles songs.

incognito said:

To shed some more light on what you just posted:

Songwriting, publishing rights and ownership of the masters are three separate entities! One has nothing to do with the other. Songwriting is about authorship, publishing is about ownership of the actual song, and ownership of the masters is just that; owning and controlling the usage of the recorded music/song.

If an artist wanted to sample a portion of a pre-existing recording (like the bass line from Sexy Dancer), they would need clearance from the publisher (Ecnirp/Prince) and WB, since they own the master recording being sampled. if an artist wanted to just replay or revamp the line (without using the actual original recording) no need to involve WB.

However, sampling laws are always very tricky and vary from situation to situation.

AsianBomb777 said:

White Stripes? Could be interesting. Bruce? No, just on GP (I still hold a grudge from the '85 Grammy's...sad, I know). Sting? I fear it would be an easy-listening track. And Creed??? Oh HE-E-E-E-ELL NO! Just banish the thought...no flames pls.

Actually, I was only serious about the white stripes. I was hoping other would understand the hillarity of Bruce "born in the USA" Springstein doing that track.

Although I would seriously like to hear Graig David or The Cure redo it.

MilkSode said:

Thanks for the link MilkMan!

I just downloaded the song and heard it.. It is actually pretty good