Comments on: Audio: The obligatory “Coldplay rips off Joe Satriani, maybe” clip

By: beefytee

beefytee — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 21:11:27 +0000

INFDL I totally agree.

A given chord progression with a given tempo and rhythmic feel will produce a certain “natural” melody. It’s like an instant process of elimination for your ears. You don’t even need to be a musician to do it, as long as you’re not tone deaf.

I don’t think this case will stand up.

Still it is interesting how similar the instincts of 2 VERY different artists were.

By: INFDL

INFDL — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 19:26:46 +0000

IV-V-III-IV progression. Nope. The melody line is similar, but that progression has been used hundreds, if not thousands of times. Satch should let this one go.

By: Prufrock

Prufrock — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 18:49:58 +0000

Ripoff. Pure and simple. May not be actionable, but seriously — any musical ear should be able to pick this out.

By: VanPalin

VanPalin — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 18:22:17 +0000

Joe Satriani rocks. I guess now I know why I thought Vida La Vida was halfway decent when normally I don’t like too much new stuff.

By: spmat

spmat — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 17:38:33 +0000

That’s a direct rip-off. It isn’t three notes. It’s chord progression, melody, rhythm, the whole bloody song. Sad.

By: rockmom

rockmom — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 15:06:14 +0000

I used to wonder what would happen when musicians ran out of new melodies to write. I guess we are finding out!

By: thequeball

thequeball — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 14:35:23 +0000

creatocon on December 8, 2008 at 4:41 PM

Talentless? I would have to disagree. Original? Maybe not, but who can be. As a few have stated, music isn’t exactly limitless in compositional possibilities, and artists are often influenced a little too heavily by what they listen to.

I liked Coldplay’s first album, but everything after it has always sounded like a rehash to me. I thought this album was interesting, and I kind of enjoyed this song, with that driving bass beat, but it sounds like Satriani certainly has a case.

By: budorob

budorob — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 14:15:32 +0000

Vanilla Ice ripped off David Bowie and got away with it. The similarities in this example are more significant, imo. Coldplay writes the same stuff over and over again anyway.

By: soundingboard

soundingboard — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 08:01:40 +0000

D’Oh….of course I meant Bf….idiot….

LimeyGeek on December 8, 2008 at 4:08 PM

No, not an idiot.
Maybe a l’il Cing impaired.

By: JeffB.

JeffB. — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 06:20:56 +0000

I think it is a clear case of infringement. And although I do like some of Coldplay’s music, Satriani is WAY more talented. Satriani got punked by these upstarts. I hope he wins.

By: paulsur

paulsur — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 05:15:41 +0000

Maybe this will inspire Joe to tour with them?

By: Johnny 100 Pesos

Johnny 100 Pesos — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 04:55:50 +0000

Years ago Canada’s version of MTV, MuchMusic, had a feature called “Too Close For Comfort” where they would play two songs, and a jury would decide if they sounded too much alike. So you would hear, say, a Heart song followed by a Roxette song which was identical.

But I know that there are only 12 notes to chose from (or 7 in each key with some exceptions). With thousands of acts writing millions of songs, of course some melodies are going to be repeated, it would be totally against the odds if they weren’t.

By: TechieNotTrekkie

TechieNotTrekkie — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 03:45:13 +0000

I want to know why the 'music' can't be copied, but the words can be. All remakes of songs are legal. As long as they change the music, they can keep the words. And yet, Weird Al doesn't have problems taking the music and changing the words (I know he get permission from the original artist, but wouldn't he need the song writers permission instead?) Besides, checking if the words are the same would be easy, but checking the music is very arbitrary. Even if Satriani wins his case, doesn't he have to prove damages? Does he think people didn't buy his music because of the Coldplay version?

By: Coldplay Versus Satriani » The American Mind

Coldplay Versus Satriani » The American Mind — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 03:41:11 +0000

[...] stumbles upon a killer mashup. I don’t care much about the lawsuit. But I would disagree with Allahpundit who asks, “Besides, do Coldplay look like they listen to Joe Satriani?” Just because [...]

By: boko fittleworth

boko fittleworth — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 03:20:34 +0000

I totally ripped off John Cage’s “4:33″ while reading these comments. I could be in trouble. As could we all. Keep talking. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1408065/Silent-song-row-settled-out-of-court.html

By: Handel

Handel — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 03:07:01 +0000

Boy…you know..after listening to that, I gotta say its almost a little embarrassing to read some posts saying..”no no. No case here for joe..”
Jeesh. How much more of a slam dunk is this?
If I were Joe Satriani, I would sue coldplay for screwing up the very cool tune with such pansy beta male lyrics.
I swear, just the small sampling of the coldplay take made me wanna put on a dress and some pannies, and move to sanfran !

(taking off dress n’ pannies now…but leaving on the heels. Just for awhile. They make me feel like I’m in “KISS” circa 1979.)

By: Handel

Handel — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 02:58:14 +0000

yeah..they ripped satriani off. no question.
For those saying silly things like “Pop music has so many similar influences across the board that it is surprising more songs don’t sound similar to others…”
Oh really?….Well this is far more than just sounding somewhat similar to the song.
PLUS…
Is it just a matter of sounding alike when slow joe biden rips off a speech or three?
Comon.
IT takes imagination to come up with this stuff.
TALENT to write.
AND This stuff takes time to write.
The idea that some talentless unimaginative posers can come along and steal your hard work and sacrifice NONE of the effort to do their own work….is astonishing.

Even moreso depressing is that there are people out there that will excuse the lazy thinkers with their OWN lazy thinking.
…And then turn around and rant about a welfare state.
I..N..C..O..N..S..I..S..T..E..N..T.

By: Ludwig

Ludwig — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 02:56:17 +0000

I can’t decide, and I’ve got a substantial background in music theory. I think the Coldplay version is sped-up in the mix to make it coincide. But a different tempo does not an-original-song-make.

That said, I confess to loving Coldplay (except for their third, horrid album). Viva La Vida is a brilliant album, start to finish.

There. I said it.

Now if only they’d keep their ignorant mouths shut when it comes to American (or any other) politics.

By: Slublog

Slublog — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 02:43:53 +0000

Coldplay vs. Satriani…

Sounds pretty darned close to me. Still, it doesn’t compare to the comedy gold of this act of plagiarism…….

By: Ridiculous! Frivolous Lawsuit! « Chiefly Musing

Ridiculous! Frivolous Lawsuit! « Chiefly Musing — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 02:43:03 +0000

[...] Ridiculous! Frivolous Lawsuit! Jump to Comments Joe Satriani probably jumped the shark long ago…but this lawsuit is crap. [...]

By: LOKI3232

LOKI3232 — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 02:17:35 +0000

I say, RIP OFF.
I despise Coldplay in everyway.
Joe is a legend that inspired and continues to inspire thousands of musicians.
Colplay is a crappy, talentless group that inspires me to go puke and then go punch come little “beta male” douche with a silly tousled hair cut square in the mouth. Apple is a pie NOT a child!!!!

By: albertpale

albertpale — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 01:39:13 +0000

Jolly good stuff. And how refreshing (comments included) after (after?) so many weeks of gray gray gray (political and otherwise) atmosphere, to say nothing about the fact that only Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Wagner, Strauss, Bartok, Prokofiev, Cage et al available at home.

Thanks, AP.

By: TechieNotTrekkie

TechieNotTrekkie — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 01:29:23 +0000

Yeh that is EXACTLY like writing music.

/Sarc BFT

Jamson64 on December 8, 2008 at 7:06 PM

Did I say it was like writing music? We are talking about 3 notes.

Do you know how many ideas people come up with and then try and copyright/patent only to find out it has already been done? I guess the other person must have copied.

No, you’re right. There is absolutely NO way two people could come up with the same 3 notes without copying each other. /sarc

By: mofo88

mofo88 — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 01:25:27 +0000

Not trying to admit that I am kind of behind when it comes to knowing the current music scene, but who the hell are these guys anyway?

pilamaye on December 8, 2008 at 3:21 PM

Their a band from the UK and people say they are the next U2. their pretty big right now.

By: Big John

Big John — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 01:23:21 +0000

Rip off.