Life's what happens when you're making other plans.

Seems like forever since I've posted.  Well not 'seems', it has been.  I apologize to my blog for my neglect.  Been busy with life lately but thought this was worth a post.  A recent article on techdirt talked about re-mixing.  Seems like the lines between inspiration and straight up borrowing have been blurred for a long time.

Here is a link to the article: Michael Jackson, Pirate Remixer

Now the bullet points to the article are:
1) Mike admitted to Darryl Hall that he copped a bass line from him for 'Billie Jean' and hoped Darryl didn't mind.
2) Hall didn't mind because he lifted the bass line from another song.
3) Quincy, the song's producer, hated the bass line but Mike insisted they keep it.
4) History ensued.

In my opinion this is inspiration pure and simple.  Case closed.  But if you listen to the 2 songs in today's climate, you would probably have a team of rats lawyers telling you that its theft.  So which is it?