Quote Originally Posted by Jay Pace View Post
Copying is just a derogratory way of interpreting influence.

Any work could be praised for being influenced by X or slated for being an attempt to copy X. Comes down to whoever is doing the copying/influencing in the first place. A question of intent, and totally subjective and dependent on the listeners interpretation of the artists work.

I'd say you need to keep your potential pool of influencers as broad as possible, this will make your music personal and unique to you - your output being the sum of your influences + whatever else goes into your creativity and output.
A very moot point...

A producer who has had limited knowledge of what has gone before may produce an absolutely wicked tune - only to be told that it sounds like Mills back in '95, or whatever...:whoops:

What does he/she do? Attempt to release the track, only to be shot down in flames as a mimmick...? bin it and say a lesson has been learnt..? try to manipulate the elements into something different so that the hard work put in wasn't a total waste of time..?

As time marches on it becomes more of a minefield for producers to try to infuse the influences they have experienced into a definitive sound that they can genuinely call their own, which has a sense of unique-ness and innovation....:mmm: