In the music world, with approximately a 100 new productions and releases everyday, it sometimes gets extremely difficult to come up with a song that’s entirely original. Plus, with the added pressure of release dates, and barely any time between shows, it gets next to impossible. There will always be a sample borrowed from here, or a bassline borrowed from there, or even a riff lifted from somewhere.
Some artists go about it with blatant disregard of the artistic rights of the original’s producers or their parent record labels, (Read: Will.i.am/Arty/Mat Zo/Anjunabeats) but some senior members still hold the integrity and grace to go about it with utmost respect. Like Fatboy Slim for example.
The riff from the newest Fatboy Slim party anthem, Eat, Sleep, Rave, Repeat, has apparently been lifted, or borrowed from Tocadisco’s lesser known Bat3ria. It had earlier been pointed out to Fatboy Slim, that the twangy, phasered riff that’s probably one of the most notable things about the production (apart from the odd lyrics) had been taken from Bat3ria.
This is what Tocadisco very cheekily said on his Facebook Page:
“Looks like Riva Starr, FatBoy Slim and me share something in common. I spoke with Riva Starr and he told me he never heard my track “Bat3ria” …must be a spiritual coincidence then...”
When Fatboy Slim got to know of this, he tweeted:
It has just been pointed out that I accidently sampled an old friend of
mine, tocadiso on 'eat sleep rave repeat'…(cont)—
Fatboy Slim (@FatboySlim) July 06, 2013
…(cont) I'd like to just say sorry to
Roman and check out his ace tune 'bat3ria' where I nicked the riff from
youtube.com/watch?v=RfgVNK…—
Fatboy Slim (@FatboySlim) July 06, 2013
after talking to Fatboy Slim, Tocadisco added:
“So… FatBoy Slim & Riva Starr PART 2: Just spoke with FatBoy Slim and he told me he didn’t realize that he left my riff from “Bat3ria” ( from the album “FR3E” ) in the track “Eat, Sleep, Rave, Repeat”. He played around with the riff a year ago for inspiration. During the production process the original source got lost somewhere on the way. He asked me if I was angry or if I wanted to have any compensation. I have to say I love and respect FatBoy Slim since his first albums and it’s an honor for me that he sampled me. So I told him. Anyway it’s a great track. Respect to FatBoy Slim for clearing the situation and apologizing to me! Let’s all be friends! 
…but don’t get the idea that everybody can sample me now! This was only an exception… LOL :-)))”
and later tweeted:
All good in da hood…
(@TOCADISCO) July 07, 2013
Additionally, he ended up promoting the song as well, and even went as far as to pick it under his Tocadisco’s New Favourite feature.
Now it remains to be debated if he actually ‘accidentally’ picked it up or whether it was indeed a genuine error, props have to be given to the both of them at how peacefully and professionally this was handled.
These values are what the music industry should be about. This is how it was done back in the day, and how it should be done now. Let’s hope most others can follow the example set by these two greats.
Tocadisco – Bat3ria (Original Mix)
Fatboy Slim feat Riva Starr – Eat, Sleep, Rave, Repeat (Original Mix)