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Yet another steal from the Book of Tiki?

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Just noticed that steel guitarist BJ Cole has a new album out and it's cover bears a striking resemblence to the photo of the Pitcairn Hotel's sign (page 202 BOT).

Have I just dropped yet another artist in it with Sven? Or perhaps permission was asked for a change?

Trader Woody

Just a hunch, but I don't think Sven has the rights to that photo any more than BJ Cole does.

Mahalo, Woody, for yet another find! You would think people would ask, but no...

It never has been a question of "rights" for me, Spike. As I said many times, I just enjoy FINDING examples of image-use from my book, and seeing how it contributes to the spread of the Tiki image in pop culture. I have not made any commercial use (well, maybe with my name dropping on e-bay) of the Tiki revival YET (but I have plans), while many others have. Every now and then I get a little material kick back, like when Woody found the use of a Tiki photo of mine on the FU MANCHU cd and I wrote them and got a CD and a T-shirt. Off course I claim no rights to the Tiki ephemera and postcards, like the San Diego Mr. Tiki using the Tropics match book Tiki as a logo.

But of the ca 600 illustrations in the BOT, about 200 are my photos, and since the Pitcairn sign is no more, it is likely that they used my photo of it from the BOT, which would have a copyright.

But as I said, I hate all the copyright "censorship" in pop culture today, keeping pop imagery from re-entering pop culture. Only if big corporations would use BOT stuff to ad to their riches would I do something (like when Kellogg's used a Coop font, he got a nice chunk from them after he said something).

The more Tiki imagery out there the merrier!

[ Edited by: bigbrotiki on 2004-08-27 10:17 ]

I got ya. Thank you for clarifying the situation for me, Sven.

The way that Woody phrased it made it sound like you own the rights to everything in the book. Sorry that I miss read that, Woody.

On 2004-08-27 08:39, Luckydesigns wrote:
Sorry that I miss read that, Woody.

No worries, Spike. I just find it amazing to see how many images sneak their way out of the Book of Tiki and onto record covers, flyers, posters and the like. I've no idea how the whole 'image rights' thing works at all!

It's cool that someone like Coop can grab some $$ back from a big corporation like Kelloggs but I'd hate to see any unwitting artist with the best of intentions getting the old legal kick in the teeth just because they have a similarly tenuous grip on image right laws to me. As Sven has a similar attitude, I've no qualms in bringing these 'appropriations' to his attention.

Trader Woody

Bigbrotiki,
I don't mean to hijack the thread, but I'm new to the forum and am delighted (though not surprised) to see the illustrious writer of the Book of Tiki posting here. I just wanted to take the opportunity to express appreciation for all of the work that you put into something that has brought so much joy to myself and many other tiki lovers around the world.

Since I discovered your book and this forum, it has become so much easier for me to enjoy the wonderful world of tiki. Thanks!
Ray

T

So Sven, at what amount of potential money do you draw the line? I'm not trying to be a wiseass, but on one hand you say "sure, freely distribute tiki culture", then say if some big company is using it, then they should pay for it. You imply they should only pay for it depending on how rich they are, or are trying to become. Which is it?

I think I made myself pretty clear, and I am not interested in starting a discussion about multinational corporations versus small businesses. I rely on my common sense, an admittedly subjective judgement (as I always have).

Aloha, Bigbrotiki,

Hope you're okay with where we've "relocated" Kelbo's jukebox for pop-sterity:

http://www.cosmicassociates.com/shellys_privatetable_frmst.htm

Your book has focused the whimsey of multi-generations of tiki-culture fans in a single thunderbolt. May the mighty Webber-Gong sound for you always...

Mahalo nui nui!

SOK

K

More importantly, where can we get the steel guitar LP?

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