If great artists steal, I don’t want to be a great artist.
The most powerful, profound, and memorable concepts are often deceptively simple. So simple, in fact, that they are often adopted within our own consciousness without us even realizing it. This simplicity may seem so simple upon hearing new and potent information that its source is often forgotten.
It’s like when one hears their favorite song and then goes to make music and unintentionally copies not only the essence of what they are a fan of but its being. While some make the argument that all art is fundamentally derivative because we cannot help but be influenced by what we see and encounter in our cultures, schools, and travels, I respectfully disagree. In my view, it is not only possible to make art that is new and original but people achieve this daily.
While you can’t copyright chords (because playing a chord is not original), we do have unique gifts to the world like Stevie Wonder, Steely Dan, Chick Corea, Paganini, Beethoven, and John Williams who use them unlike anyone else. They are not inventing a chord, but when you hear any of their compositions, chordal patterns, and musical structures, the way they use these chords we all share is very much their IP. This happens in technology, business, and even science (ex: Albert Einstein). Certain things when explained — and I stress: when explained — because of how simple they are make the recipient feel immediately like a genius. That occurrence makes the person from which the information is derived the original. While their content may build on precedent or employ certain shared styles or progressions, the presentation and execution are absolutely unique.
It is worth pointing out the distinction between duplication and influence. Many people who have gained popularity with their art form will claim they were influenced by a peer or predecessor when, in reality, they duplicated the others’ work.
Influence
verb | to affect or alter by indirect or intangible meansDuplicate
verb | to make double or twofold
Influence is when an essence of another person, culture, or place comes through in work that is otherwise original. Duplication (a.k.a. stealing a.k.a. copying) is when someone replicates the work or style of another and passes it off as their own unique sound/aesthetic/style. Eric Clapton, Elvis Presley, and Fender guitars are examples of this. They duplicated the work of others and presented it as their own, yet they are praised and publicly recognized as the source. It is my view that the source deserves equal if not more recognition, as the source is the well from which others’ ideas have flourished. The source is an original, not a derivative. Derivatives can be powerful in music and business, but they’re not the core of either. While some of those listed above are arguably great, I challenge the reader to consider what exponentially greater source has fed those above and share that recognition. To qualify: since we recognize Eric Clapton, the source to recognize is Louise King Mathews and Bo Carter. The source to recognize for Elvis Presley is Otis Blackwell. The source to acknowledge of Leo Fender (Fender guitars) is Lester William Polsfuss (a.k.a. “Les Paul”).
If it is true that great artists steal, then I deduce that the greatest individuals cite their sources.
