DOOM logo and cover art used with recent dubstep record.

[durian]

I just discovered this, and thought it might be of interest to fellow DOOMers.

The artwork for electronic artist Hecq’s (relatively) recent 12" 'Sura' features a modified version of the DOOM logo:



And the record came with a free poster, featuring a modified version of the cover art, which you can see here.

You can listen to the title track here, although it may not be your cup of tea if your not into dubstep, or electronic music more generally.

[Tormentor667]

Erm... copyright fail?

[Alfonzo]

Again with the pyramids. Is there some ancient, veiled conspiracy concerning Giza of which I am not aware? Are there pyramids on Mars? Why must they appear on logos analogous to demonic invasions and bands of metal and electronic artisan? Why are there only two pyramids and not three or eleven? What does it mean?

[durian]

Tormentor667 said:

Erm... copyright fail?

You may be right about that. I certainly can't see any acknowledgement to Gregor Punchatz on the packaging. It's not very surprising though – at least in Europe, copyright law, if it's not loose, at least tends to be unenforced when it comes to transgressions by relatively smalltime labels and artists (much of the music in this field makes heavy and unhampered use of samples, and it's rarely the case that the rights are requested). The law is much tighter, or at least more tightly enforced and adhered to, in the US.

[Use]

Someone needs to tell this assclown to get his own damn artwork. And dubstep sucks.

[hex11]

st.alfonzo said:

Again with the pyramids.

You have to play the record backwards on a special turntable once owned by a woman with nine black cats, placed inside a hollow obsidian pyramid which has a crytal as its tip and gold runes down the sides. When you do that during a lunar eclipse, you will have a dream where you learn the cheat code that unlocks the fifth episode of Doom.

[printz]

Use3D said:

And dubstep sucks.

I disagree. It sounds like Quake 3 Arena music.

[scalliano]

Holy shit, that's bangin'! :D

But, yeah, there's definitely a question mark over the legality of the artwork used here, although it's not unusual in the underground music scene for images to be pinched and modified like that. I've come across quite a few promo vinyls like this in my time, but none as brazen.

[franckFRAG]

Use3D said:

Someone needs to tell this assclown to get his own damn artwork. And dubstep sucks.

I often listen to of the dubstep for inspired me to create maps or for to draw.

[Clonehunter]

There was some metal band wh had a t-shirt that parodies the Duke Nukem art and one odf his slogans. But that was different enough to be good enough for copyright laws. This though is just stupid. Get your own damn artwork and don't degrace the Doom style!

EDIT: Someone should take that and make a titlepic out of that text. A new Doom wad called HECQ.

[Nomad]

I liked the song. Art is kind of cool though kind of a lame ripoff at the same time. It's all in good fun though. If id has a problem with it, it's up to them.

[hex11]

I wonder where the Doom logo artist originally got his inspiration from. Might answer the pyramid mystery...

[Technician]

I don't have an issue with the artist using and morphing the Doom logo in a parody sense, but directly ripping off the marine demon art is pretty lame.

[durian]

Well, I think it's obviously an affectionate use of these materials. I am not sure what it is about this use that some find to be 'lame' - as a closet DOOM obsessive, my own response on spotting this was 'awesome!'. I take it that the artwork wasn't used simply because it's an appropriate image, but precisely because it's the classic DOOM artwork. If so, then suggesting that the musician get their own damn artwork is a little off the mark – they can hardly get their own classic DOOM artwork. Of course, the point may be that, however well intended, there's simply something inappropriate about using these images, or using these images in this way. I guess I don't see why, at least in these circumstances, that is. This is distinct from the issue of legality, unless you think (implausibly) that, in all cases, a use of artistic materials that breaches copyright laws is automatically an inappropriate ('lame') use.

[Technician]

No offense, but are you... thick?

Sure, the modified Doom logo can be classified as parody or "friendly nod" by a fan, and than there is using unaltered artwork not endorsed by the rightful owner.

I guess I don't see why, at least in these circumstances, that is. This is distinct from the issue of legality, unless you think (implausibly) that, in all cases, a use of artistic materials that breaches copyright laws is automatically an inappropriate ('lame') use.

You don't completely use another artist's work without proper permission or compensation. We're not talking about a fan webpage or art project. This musician is using it as a product.

[durian]

Technician said:

No offense, but are you... thick?

Heh, I may well be :)

But... Small irrelevant point: Note that actually the poster has been modified, insofar as it includes the modified DOOM logo (I've never seen the box art without the logo).

And let's assume with you that (a) there is a 'rightful owner' of this image (I'm not sure what you mean by 'rightful', and if it simply means the same as 'legal'. I'd be inclined to say that, were he still with us, Punchatz would be the rightful owner, although, either way, Id are most likely the legal owners), and (b) this use was not sanctioned by the rightful owner (whoever that is).

My question was simply, given (a) and (b), and bracketing the issue of legality, what is inappropriate about using this image in this way? You've stated that it's simply something that one doesn't do, but you've not explained why. Note that the poster was given away free with the record, so there's no obvious concern that the musician/label are profiting from the unsanctioned use of Punchatz's work.

[Jodwin]

uctytav said:

But... Small irrelevant point: Note that actually the poster has been modified, insofar as it includes the modified DOOM logo (I've never seen the box art without the logo).

Replacing the logo is such a small thing that it means nothing.

I'd let it slip that he edited the logo, but completely ripping off the poster art is fucking stupid, especially when it's for a commercial product.

[DeathevokatioN]

Use3D said:

Someone needs to tell this assclown to get his own damn artwork. And dubstep sucks.

QFT

[Use]

Jodwin said:

I'd let it slip that he edited the logo, but completely ripping off the poster art is fucking stupid, especially when it's for a commercial product.

No kidding, not to mention this music doesn't invoke any feelings of Doom in any shape or form. Might as well throw the Doom marine on a Celine Dion album.

[durian]

Odd. I don't know what you take 'feelings of DOOM' to be, but I'd have thought heavy, brooding, beat driven music was entirely apposite (at least, more so than Celine Dion). Try the B-side. Surely that's a little DOOMish?!

[Use]

uctytav said:

Surely that's a little DOOMish?!

No, sorry. This sounds like something I should be hearing in Starseige Tribes or Quake 3 like printz said, even though Bill Leeb could smoke this guy six ways from Sunday.
Honestly I'm just more pissed about the Doom artwork than anything, musically this is probably the most competent dubstep I've ever heard. In fact I'm even hesitant to call it that, as it's much more layered and interesting than the crap I get around here. This guy at least has some talent.

[Xeros612]

Wow, fuck this shit. I got less of a headache watching Transformers Dark Side of the Moon in 3D than listening to this puddle of vomit. I also want to throw a brick at this guy through the internet for blatant copyright infringement.

[D_GARG]

Xeros612 said:

headache watching Transformers Dark Side of the Moon in 3D

this 3D shit is just facking pain, get dat aut nao!

If im gonna watch harry potter it better be flat as my bank card.

btw were to find sucha font anyway? would be great for a titlepic for the wads

[Porsche Monty]

The logo thing I can understand, they're basically increasing the chances of making a penny or two from the occasional freak who may happen to be both deaf and a Doom fan, but the posters? come on, that's going to far, why not distribute a pwad with custom midis instead? even better, why not quit making this garbage altogether?

[Mr. T]

This is cool, you guys need to lighten up

[Average]

Mr. T said:

This is cool, you guys need to lighten up

Indeed. It's just a record from a shit-small scene ripping off a 20 year old game. I really don't think it's that big a deal - in fact I found it quite charming... It's got that DIY punk vibe about it.

[Use]

Well lets see how this dork likes his shit getting ripped off.

[GreyGhost]

uctytav said:

Note that the poster was given away free with the record, so there's no obvious concern that the musician/label are profiting from the unsanctioned use of Punchatz's work.

Note that you have to buy the record in order to receive the "free" full-size poster displaying extra artwork (to quote the on-line store), which means someone's profiting and - unless it's in small print - there's no attribution or acknowledgment of the poster's origins.

[durian]

True, the poster is given away free with the record, which must itself be bought. It's not obvious to me that it follows from this that the artist/label are profiting from the use of the image in the poster - unless people are buying the record simply to get the poster, which is of course possible, though (I think) unlikely.

I noted the failure to acknowledge Punchatz above, and that this is unexceptional in a music scene that thrives on the reusing others' artistic materials. Of course, it may well be that there's something deeply wrong with that, although, no one's yet explained what this might be.

[Average]

Use3D said:

Well lets see how this dork likes his shit getting ripped off.

He will get ripped off. It's the way of the music scene he's in...