Run DMC is being sued for allegedly sampling "My Sharona" by The Knack on their 20 year old song "It's Tricky." For their part, the Knack claim to have just realized that the hit song contained part of their hit song.
The members of Run DMC and their producers, distributors, publishers and record companies are named in the copyright infringement suit, which was filed by The Knack's Doug Fieger and Berton Averre. They claim that portions of "My Sharona," including the song's signature guitar riff, were unlawfully included appropriated for "It's Tricky," which first appeared on Run DMC's 1986 album, Raising Hell, and has been included on other records since then.
Personally I've never really heard the sample of "My Sharona" in "It's Tricky" but I've never really been listening for it either. I just don't think it's fair to come around 20 years later to try to collect some money. Yeah, stealing music is wrong, but shouldn't their be a time limit on these things?
I don't know - if you found out your song helped further a band (a more successful band than yourself), wouldn't you sort of want to go back and collect on your contribution to their success - especially if that song was one of their more-enduring songs?
