My thoughts on originality provoked some interesting thoughts and here is one that i feel encapsulates it well.

Just a thought on your blog regarding originality.

I totally agree with your point of view, and have put much thought into it over the years.

I study Jazz at Monash and constantly hear these heavily opinionated 'originality police' all the time.

Maybe we best take a look at Western music's evolution throughout history. In the classical world, (the scene that developed harmony as we know it today) it would take 100 years or more for a style to evolve into something different. What we call
copying now, was back then called rules, and composers were often hated by the public for branching out. However over the years, as each style was around for so long and so many different composers worked with them, exploring every possibility and nuance, some dam fine music was created. I don't see how this is any different to Jet taking a Beatles style song, and giving it their flavour.

The composers of late that are remembered fondly these days, are often of 2 varieties, indeed they can be the original ones who branched off completely and wrote totally different music, however they are also frequently the ones who ran with the style that was
happening at the time, and just wrote unbelievable music within that style. Im gonna drop Mozarts name here.

So to Noel Gallagher's comment, I agree, and add a further statement; Bring up any song, and you could find another from 10 yrs ago, 50 yrs ago, or 1000 years ago that show's heavily where its influences came from. And I don't see any problem with that. Quote from John Mayer's Continuum album booklet notes in the thanks section "Eric Clapton - for knowing I steal from you and still being cool with it".

In my opinion (and obviously a few hundred thousand others), Continuum is a kick ass album, and self proclaimed not wholly original. Who cares. Let's make good music that feels nice and moves us. Whether it be borderline covers, or the most outrageously original music ever produced by mankind.

If you have anything further to add please drop me an email and we shall continue this debate.

Cheers Steve