As a huge fan of the leader of the gang in his platinum-selling rock star status prime, I was somewhat thrilled to see that Britney Spears has sampled one of his hit's on her new album. He should be in for a nice little earner on co-composer rights.

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Surely if there is a sample there should be a co-write there? which song is it? i'm confused!

Not sure about the royalty business,but with the current state of Britney Spears' musical career the cheque will tend more towards the pence than pounds.

I've had a listen and can't find it - track title anyone please?

The song is "Ooh Ooh Baby", the sample from "rock and roll".

"The current state of her music career"

You mean having a #1 selling single in the USA and #3 in the UK sellers. She has yet to have a flop release, with all her studio albums to date going at least triple platinum in the US and platinum in the UK. I'd be surprised if this album does under 2 million units in the USA alone in the first 12 months. Quite simply a huge amount of records for an entertainer than has been in the biz for 8 years.

Her music career is fine; it's simply the press that is bad. The bad press comes and goes, but if you have a fan base that supports you, then that is what will matter in the test of time.

Glitter co-wrote the song with Leander, so is entitled to royalties for any sample used.

Those Glitter hits were marvellous weren't they?

I knew Mike Leander well (indeed his son did work experience at the Tip Sheet); Gary had nothing to do with the first hit, Rock'n'Roll Part Two. Mike suddenly realised he needed an artiste and brought Paul Raven nee Gadd on board after it began to look like a hit.

Gary used to do warmups on Ready Steady Go!

Such a great track to take any sample from, there are loads usable.

And such a brilliant and original title from Britney too!

It reminds me of Happy Together...

remember you and me...

In most cases, samples don't involve the use of a composition, only the use of a recording. So only the owner of the recording (and maybe the featured artist) are paid.

From Wikipedia:
There has been a second important US case on music sampling involving the Beastie Boys who sampled the sound recording of a flute track by James Newton in their song "Pass the Mic". The Beastie Boys properly obtained a license to use the sound recording but did not clear the use of the song (the composition on which the recording is based including any music and lyrics). In Newton v. Diamond and Others 349 F.3d 591 (9th Cir. 2003) the US Appeals Court held that the use of the looped sample of a flute did not constitute copyright infringement as the core of the song itself had not been used. It seems that the position in law now is that with use of the sound recording any use without permission will constitute an infringement; however with the composition there must be some substantial use

From leanders own words while he was still alive he and gary wrote the song together in the studio while reading the NME. Glitter/Gadd and he had already been working together for more than 5 years beforehand.

Well now this is interesting Tony because I definitely remember Mike playing me the tracks (Parts One and Two) and discussing with me and Dick Leahy who was running Bell how he could find and create an artiste to fit it.

Remember I was far hotter as a Bell producer at the time than Mike... Johnny Reggae at 2 in 1971 and Bay City Rollers top ten in 1971 too, plus loads of hits for me on other labels as Weathermen, Lazybones, Sun Has Got His Hat On, Sugar Sugar and so on. I was in on a lot of secrets.

Either I've got it wrong (long time ago; Alzheimers setting in) or Mike said that to bolster the Glitter image at the time (it was very much a secret that Gary wasn't even on the original).

I suppose only Gary (not available this year and unlikely to say) or Dick would confirm or deny.

Wikipedia and IMDB both have Glitter as co-writer. IMDB lists the number of movies the track was used in where he is credited as composer

I have no idea either way, but if Gary Glitter wasn't involved in the original writing of Rock'n'Roll then somehow he's been accepted as such ever since.

So just to get this straight, a track which Gary co-wrote has been sampled on a britney track and he's not been credited?

but should have been?

sorry to ask questions but it is interesting?

Interesting story there JK. From what I know GG and Mike had been working together for several years before that and Leander had written several of his "Paul Raven/Monday" singles none of which were hits or credited as co-writes. It was only after their first co-write together ("Rock N Roll") that the duo had any hits. It certainly sounded a lot different than anything they had out in their previous attempts and with Leander being a very sensible man it wouldn't made sense for him to give away 50% royalties of a song he wrote himself if he knew it was going to be bigger than anything he had ever written.

Showbiz eh? Everyone always has different recollections and versions of events!

I'm not a legal expert of these matters either, but from reading that it sounds like Gary, as one of the songs writers, will certainly be paid. You can't tell me that RNR isn't at the "core" of that song! Glitter got paid for the Oasis sample on the Morning Glory album and actually bough a yacht with some of the money he got when the album was at its height.

This is an interesting one Rupert.

I went through a minor problem when the session singer who did the lead vocal on Johnny Reggae demanded performance royalties. She had been paid a straight fee. Often singers are given the choice and sensibly choose the flat fee now please (99.9% of tracks earn nothing).

The Musicians Union backed me and pointed out she had received thousands of pounds from me in session fees on flops and had not offered to repay those monies.

This was all on Bell at the time (a short term licence - the rights reverted to me very quickly).

I recollect Mike playing me and Dick this track which he had put together messing around in the studio. The feel was tremendous and, as you remember, it was 99% instrumental. A discussion took place around whether it should be released as a one off like The Piglets or whether he should try to launch a career with this obvious hit.

I think that's when Paul was brought in. It is quite possible that a co-write became part of the deal. I suspect Mike gave away a part of that song in return for Paul becoming Gary Glitter. Whether Gary was actively involved in the rest of the songs, I do not know.

Remember, a "co write" is not always 50/50. Sometimes a nominal small percentage (5%) can be given (as some of the artistes doing songs - like, I gather, Celine Dion).

I'm prepared to bet Mike Batt writes most of Katie Melua's songs for example. I don't know whether this is the case but it may well be.

Ah! More lyrics for Katie,(from "Belfast" 1st album)...

.."I`m divided between wombles and batts.."

I think the evidence for Paul not actively being involved in the writing of R+R is in the production. The product is a blatant studio project and he would have had to be there from day one to contribute.
The most likely pen to paper contribution is probably lyrically, which would have been a dream job for any singer/writer.
Brilliant timeless hit and absolutely unmimicable guitar and drum sounds to this day, genius.