Guitarist Satriani accuses Coldplay of plagiarism

[Lord_of_the_Dense]

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Rock guitarist Joe Satriani has sued British band Coldplay, accusing the Grammy-nominated stars of plagiarizing one of his songs.

Satriani's copyright infringement suit, filed on Thursday in Los Angeles federal court, claims the Coldplay song "Viva La Vida" incorporates "substantial original portions" of his 2004 instrumental "If I Could Fly."

The 52-year-old guitar virtuoso is seeking a jury trial, damages and "any and all profits" attributable to the alleged copyright infringement.

Read entire story here (http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20081205/music_nm/us_coldplay_2).

[mountain_rage]

Sure sounds like they did (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ofFw9DKu_I&feature=related), but beyond just copyright laws, is it wrong? Personally I think music should be more liberated, and financial gain should not guide copyright laws. People should be credited when a work is heavily borrowed, but I don't feel a derivative work should fall under copyright infringement. Most if not all artists are influenced by one another, and the way our brain organizes information, we are naturally inclined to imitate. With the limitations to musical style, and what psychologically sounds good, you are inevitably going to run into people having the same melody and progression. Lets bring back creativity and return music to a performance art, and marketing machine. Just my two cents.

[shawners]

Remember 40 year old virgin movie..

"You know how i know your gay? You listen to coldplay."

A lot of artist stop listening to music when they go to the studio to make an album because it gets in your subconscious level. You may not realize what your doing but end up copying someones music. But this one is too close together and probably thought no one would recognize it, especially since Satriani isnt played on the radio or any of his new stuff at least. I wonder if Chris Martin is going to kick his guitarist ass right now for borrowing this shit. Im glad artist are getting sued from others, it shows them how lame copyright law is.

[drtoker]

So is he suing because it was plagiarised or because Coldplay made it more popular then Satriani (who i've never even heard of) did?

[Feather]

These fags need to get over it back in the 50s everyone record what ever they wanted and who ever did it better made the money

[Signa]

Hearing that youtube video makes me realize that Coldplay wasn't wrong in stealing the song. They need to do what the video maker did and team up to make a kickass song instead of going to court.

It's not like you see all those shitty rappers getting sued for inserting ACTUAL songs into their work to make it sound better.

[w31n3r]

i like both songs, funny i never noticed before. these are two artists who i have tremendous respect for, i hope it doesn't turn out uglier that it already is. c'mon sach, you've gotten even a cheapskate like me paying for your albums, you don't need to do this.

[ratcat]

Yeah, I seen that a couple months (the tune) and thought Satch must have just dismissed the song. Because this issue had been bought up at his fansite forum as well. It's possible the suing is power by money hungry management.

............ Most if not all artists are influenced by one another, and the way our brain organizes information, we are naturally inclined to imitate. With the limitations to musical style, and what psychologically sounds good, you are inevitably going to run into people having the same melody and progression. Lets bring back creativity and return music to a performance art, and marketing machine. Just my two cents.

Agreed. Its going to happen one day, then it comes down to who picks up on it.

......... Satriani (who i've never even heard of) did?

What dark age do you live in ??

These fags need to get over it back in the 50s everyone record what ever they wanted and who ever did it better made the money

Good point Feather. Only that the fags are Coldplay.

......
It's not like you see all those shitty rappers getting sued for inserting ACTUAL songs into their work to make it sound better.

If my memory serves me wrong, back in the late 80's that Vanilla Ice song that was the same rhythm has the David Bowe and Queen song 'Under Pressure'. And the argument of that the song they weren't the same because the Ice Vanilla song had an extra quarter beat, well a extra something anyway, that the original. Yes and he was a shitty rapper.

i like both songs, funny i never noticed before. these are two artists who i have tremendous respect for, i hope it doesn't turn out uglier that it already is. c'mon sach, you've gotten even a cheapskate like me paying for your albums, you don't need to do this.

:icon_salu

[w31n3r]

...and he was a shitty rapper.



i always felt he should have been sued for defamation, not copyright infringement. my God was there ever anything worse than vanilla ice?

[ratcat]

.... my God was there ever anything worse than vanilla ice?

not to date.

I guess white boys can't rap.

[A_mber]

So is he suing because it was plagiarised or because Coldplay made it more popular then Satriani (who i've never even heard of) did?


I think you may be one of the few who's never heard of him. He's one of the best guitar soloist ever, check him out he's very good at what he does.

IMO, I think he's absolutely right to be suing them. I mean look, everyone else has to ask for the rights, why should Coldplay be any different?

[carpefile]

This is interesting. I'm wondering how this will go because its the lyrical melody that seems to mimic Satriani's guitar, not Cold Play's music.
Although since Satriani is an instrumentalist, I suppose his guitar may be considered his voice.
Anyway, interesting.

Just btw, the 2 overlaid do sound very good together.

Maybe Joe could accept a collaborative album project as a settlement?

[carpefile]

not to date.

I guess white boys can't rap.

Beastie Boys.
'nuff said.

[ratcat]

Beastie Boys.
'nuff said.

Vanilla Ice is still the winner for me.

[mfgbypooter]

... my God was there ever anything worse than vanilla ice?

http://celebslam.celebuzz.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/10/k-fed-playing-with-fire.jpg

*

[mountain_rage]

Wow youtube is just a huge resource for proving my point. Some are stretches, but I put them anyway simply because there were lawsuits over them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRv_yMg5nvw&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOd9Of0-8J0&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuWDtiaNSRM&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0d2z-dWZmE&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiXpkWigJLU

In fact people are getting just stupid on what they consider plagiarism. Case and point this mash up where its just the same cord.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymUhCCxDPVk&feature=related

[Lord_of_the_Dense]

I'll say I'm biased and hope Joe takes them clean off the muscial map. Been a Satch fan since the Surfing... days and Coldplay has just been that....a cold play.

[shawners]

Coldplay song Talk was in the works but sounded like someone elses song, so they rewrote it and put it on their album. The song was leaked out and the original version and chorus sounds better. What will happen is the new cd printed sheet will give credit to him, and he gets part of the royalties of the cd sales. Then if they perform the song live he will get money too.. It happened to Aerosmith, the manager took part of their song writes and it cost them money to perform such older classics.. They do it because they love the fans.

[fer007]

Yeah, sometimes plagiarism is unconscious. You keep coming all the time with the same chord progressions and stuff... It happens.

[RACKnRAIL]

I've been a musician for over 30 years and teacher of music for 15 years. In my humble opinion, the problem is that music these days is so beat driven, it can easily have many similarities. Case in point, given by MR.

A song should be defined by its melody, not the beat or chords. However, chords can be arranged melodically too. There is a lot of grey area here.

I remember when George Harrison was sued for his song "My Sweet Lord". I honestly doubt it was intentional, but nonetheless, there it is. Did he deserve to get sued? That is the question! Does Cold Play deserve to be sued? No more than Avril does. I'm sure it will come down to a decision made by non-musical people in some courtroom.

[YWD67]

I remember when George Harrison was sued for his song "My Sweet Lord". I honestly doubt it was intentional, but nonetheless, there it is. Did he deserve to get sued?

I remeber when that happened in the 70's, never heard what became of that suit? Was it dropped, settled, or what?

[fer007]

I've been a musician for over 30 years and teacher of music for 15 years. In my humble opinion, the problem is that music these days is so beat driven, it can easily have many similarities. Case in point, given by MR.

That is so true! There is not much melodic music these days. Nothing like the Beatles and stuff...

[RACKnRAIL]

I remeber when that happened in the 70's, never heard what became of that suit? Was it dropped, settled, or what?

THIS (http://abbeyrd.best.vwh.net/mysweet.htm) article should explain the outcome for you.

[officialsavage]

They definitely did. But they make good music, so let them be.

[s0nic reducer]

Coldgay= ROLF