4: Remixes and Digital Culture

The digital era has helped to usher in a number of musical styles. On the one hand, these are simply extensions or already-existing practices (practices that we have been studying throughout this module). On the other hand, digital technology allows for a uniqueness and creates a space for new types of creativity. These include mashups, remixes and collages of ‘found material’ used to create new artworks. This lecture surveys these new digital phenomena. We will also consider again the nature of authorship and ownership, creativity, the status of the ‘work’, and the inherent differences between traditional models of quotation, and contemporary practices of sampling. Finally, the concept of copyright will be examined in light of the above.

Associated Reading

  • Mark Katz – Music in 1s and 0s: The Art and Politics of Digital Sampling
    • Paul Lansky – Notjustmoreidelchatter
    • Fatboy Slim – Praise You
    • Public Enemy – Fight the Power
  • Liam Maloy – “Stayin’ Alive in Da Club”: The Illegality and Hyperreality of Mashup
    • DJ Earworm – No One Takes Your Freedom
    • CCC - Lust Train

Additional Reading

Associated Listening and Viewing

  • Bernard Parmegiani – JazzEx (1966), Pop’eclectic (1969),  Du pop à l’âne (1969)
  • Negativland – Negativland
  • Tape Beatles – Fabulous Things
  • Go Home Productions – Smells Like Rockin' Robin (Nirvana vs Michael Jackson)
  • DJ Earworm YouTube Channel
  • Kutiman – YouTube channel
  • Pogo – YouTube channel
  • Eclectic Method – Vimeo | Tumblr
  • RiP: A Remix Manifesto

Internet Resources

  • Remix Theory is an online resource by Eduardo Navas that offers some of his research on Remix. Navas focuses on Remix itself as opposed to Remix Culture.
  • Produsage.org investigates produsage models as they develop and mature
  • History of Sampling – an interactive web site (built using Processing) providing a history of what and who have been sampled, and who did the sampling!
  • Aldeburgh Musicircus provides on online method to create your own version of John Cage’s Musicircus.
  • Who Sampled database of sampling
  • John Oswald’s Plunderphonics site
  • Chris Cutler’s web site
  • Negativland web site
  • The Tape Beatles web site

Intellectual Property and Copyright