Moby sued over alleged unlicensed samples from 1992

by: Zach Brenman Mar 27, 2014

Iconic electronic music veteran Moby has become the latest target of VMG Salsoul’s crusade against unlicensed sample usage. Last year, the New York-based funk and disco label filed a lawsuit against Madonna for the sampling in her 1990 dance-pop hit “Vogue”. Despite losing the case against the Queen of Pop just four months ago, the short interval hasn’t stopped the plaintiff from pursuing Moby for the samples used in his pair of songs from 1992, “Next is the E” and “Thousand”.

In the lawsuit filed Monday, Salsoul demands statutory damages of up to $150,000 per alleged infringement plus profits and attorneys’ fees, claiming the 22-year-old songs include unlicensed samples of Philadelphia girl group First Choice’s “Let No Man Put Asunder.” The case against Madonna is now up for appeal, but was lost after the judge ruled that “no reasonable audience would find the sampled portions qualitatively or quantitatively significant in relation to the infringing work, nor would they recognize the appropriation.” So if Moby’s sampling is deemed de minimis, or too minor to be worthy of this consideration, the lawsuit will follow Modanna’s result with no copyright liability. The mere fact that this issue took over two decades to detect raises concern and speculation leaning in favor of the legendary producer and DJ.

Not much, if anything has been publically addressed by Moby’s end, rather putting focus on pushing his latest single release, “Delay” on Spinnin’ Records.

via: The Hollywood Reporter

First Choice’s “Let No Man Put Asunder”