Re: <nettime> Does John Cage have a copyright on recorded silence?

[Kai Howells <kai.howells@mac.com>]

On 02/07/02 2:19 am, "nettime's deaf reader" <nettime@bbs.thing.net> wrote:

> 
> Big noises at odds over the sound of silence
> 
> By David Lister
> Media and Culture Editor
> http://www.independent.co.uk/story.jsp?story=307449

I believe that what the whole problem is about is not the fact that he's
recorded a track of silence but rather that he credited Cage (jokingly or
not, the credit is there) for the silence.
Sure, he did it more as a tongue-in-cheek tribute, but there it was, printed
in black and white that Cage somehow contributed to the track.

This is what they are up in arms about... They are not trying to hold a
copyright on silence.

FWIW, Cage's track is more than just "silence" it was a live recording of a
performance where the pianist held his hands above the keys of the piano. It
was more a piece of performance art rather than music, one of those "you had
to be there" type things. The recording of "silence" was actually a
recording of the audiences reaction to said event.

-- kai

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