Could Quiet Riot have sued Ozzy?

[Cryptic Night]

Keep in mind, this isn't a "should they have sued, but a could they have sued.

So as most, if not all, of us know Randy took many riffs he had written from his Quiet Riot days and used them on songs with Ozzy. Since those songs were written and recorded originally for use with Quiet Riot, would they have had a claim to those riffs? If they did, I can understand why they never went to court over it. They loved Randy and wouldn't want to tarnish his name for a few bucks, especially with Kevin Dubrow at the helm of Quiet Riot.

What do you guys think? Do you think Quiet Riot could have taken them to court over it? Do you think they would have stood a chance?

[GUITARIDOL5682]

Randy never officially left Quiet Riot so he did leave the door open to return. I wish he had of done, i think they would of been hellish...Sadly that time did not come. As long as any song is credited to that writer you can use any riff etc. Did Randy say if these were songs unfinished or completed tracks ?. Reworking a riff into a track or changing it slightly to suit that song can be done easily it's when it is obviously been stolen and is recognised easily as that track.

[Sky]

Keep in mind, this isn't a "should they have sued, but a could they have sued.

So as most, if not all, of us know Randy took many riffs he had written from his Quiet Riot days and used them on songs with Ozzy. Since those songs were written and recorded originally for use with Quiet Riot, would they have had a claim to those riffs? If they did, I can understand why they never went to court over it. They loved Randy and wouldn't want to tarnish his name for a few bucks, especially with Kevin Dubrow at the helm of Quiet Riot.

What do you guys think? Do you think Quiet Riot could have taken them to court over it? Do you think they would have stood a chance?

No, QR wouldn't have a hope in hell. A riff no matter how brilliant isn't a song and that's what's copyrighted. It used to be the case that only the melody writer and the lyricist were credited for songwriting, so any publishing royalties would be split 50/50 between them and the brilliant riff writers would get fuck all. These days it's up to the writers to decide on a fair split before the contract is drawn up.

[skezza]

What for? You can't just sue someone for the heck of it?

[Cryptic Night]

What for? You can't just sue someone for the heck of it?

I was asking because I thought of the song Shot in the Dark in which Ozzy was sued (yes, it was a whole song, as opposed to a riff) and was also thinking of Robin Thicke's Blurred Lines in which he was sued over having a similar feel to a Marvin Gaye song.

Once again, not saying they SHOULD have sued, but simply a COULD they have sued (and potentially won). If the members of Quiet Riot had been bitter (we know they weren't) over Randy leaving, and taking some of those riffs and reworking them and receiving critical acclaim over them, could Quiet Riot have taken Ozzy to court over it and had a leg to stand on?

This is a purely hypothetical question.

[Sky]

I understand why you're asking and it can be confusing. If, for example, EH had come up with the riffs that Randy played in Crazy Train and Randy took credit for writing them, then EH might have a case. But Randy wrote those riffs, some of them might be heard in QR songs but they were Randy's to rework and use wherever he wanted, so QR wouldn't have a case.
Some might argue that Leo Brouwer had a right to sue Randy though.

[Cryptic Night]

Some might argue that Leo Brouwer had a right to sue Randy though.

To my understanding, he did. He dropped the case after hearing that he passed away though.