Coldplay May Get Served Lawsuit At Grammys

Coldplay may get served legal papers at this weekend's Grammy Awards.

Last year guitarist Joe Satriani alleged that Coldplay's "Viva La Vida" borrowed a little too heavily from his "I Just Wanna Fly." Satriani's lawyer Howard King is planning to blanket the Grammys with servers to hand the band a plagiarism lawsuit.

Fox News reports:

King says, "We have warned their British lawyers that we have hired a fleet of process servers lined up to dog the band everywhere they go this weekend in the hopes of serving them."

King even promises to have camera crews roaming around with the process servers to get the whole thing on tape.

Coldplay denies the charges.

Read about Satriani's complaint here.

Hear a song comparison:

Comments

[anticritic]

I've listened to the Satriani piece, and to "Viva La Vida", and the melody line sounds similar enough that, at the very least, Coldplay should negotiate a shared writing credit with him. Joe is not some wannabe hack - he is a respected and prolific guitarist and composer, so I have no doubts that he was probably sitting at home one day watching VH1, Coldplay's video came on, and his response was, "WTF?"!! Yes, Coldplay has mentioned their musical inspirations before [their penchant for aping U2 is infamous] but they don't always own up to it in a timely fashion: Case-in-point, Coldplay's "Speed of Sound" off of the album X&Y. That song's chorus is more than a little beholden to Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill", but they didn't acknowledge that until they performed it on VH1's "Storytellers" series, many many months after the album's release. Bottom line: while all art is collective plagiarism, Coldplay is derivative with a capital "D", and it was only a matter of time before some artist accused them [rightfully so] of ripping them off. If they do get served with papers during the Grammy awards, it would be exquisite theatre, and MUST SEE TV!

[jmk65]

check this out if you really want to know the musical resemblance of these tunes.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=OEGGFJLpbu4

[jmk65]

part two:

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

[TTM]

If Coldplay is sued by Satriani for plagiariazing Viva La Vida, then Satriani might be sued over by Enanitos Verded over If I Could Fly. Ultimately, it all goes back to Cat Stevens:

1. Coldplay:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvgZkm1xWPE

2. Satriani:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMcjXo8ZuqE (0:48)

3. Enanitos Verdes:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G57CgtX-BsI (0:34)

4. NKOTB:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXmCOXQcmVE (0:42)

5. Marty Balin:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTp0P5xMHog

6. Babik Reinhardt:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cgy8TBr_dk

7. Gunther:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XnhFR73wOs

8. Cat Stevens
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUXda-RTE_c (3:14)

Bottom line: it is inevitable that vocal melodies and instrumental phrasings over a popular chord progression will often overlap.

[jmk65]

the enanitos verdes song does not sound anything like the coldplay OR satriani song. i'm tired of people using that as an example. the first three notes are in a similar progression but that is it. if you actually know music theory you would be able to tell that the chord progressions are not at all the same. nor the rhythm. and the songs are not remotely similar.

i don't think coldplay maliciously meant to steal the work but it is ridiculously close. it is just that the chorus and versus are flipped. but the progressions are identical.

not sure about what kind of punitive measures shoudl be taken. but these two songs are as similar as my sweet lord and he's so fine and george harrison lost that one.

[Lion24]

Could you please refrain from mentioning the great George Harrison and Coldplay in the same breath?

Thank you.

[prog]

No, no, no.

The cadence, tempo and feel of Coldplay's song, as well as the chord progression, is virtually identical to the Satriani song. It's a whole different level of ripoff.

[Myshkin57]

Listen to these:

http://theopenend.com/2009/01/31/coldplay-vs-joe-satriani-who-owns-the-descending-melody/

I'm not sure what dimension of music comprises "feel", but listen to any number of Coldplay songs and you'll hear the same rhythm used. Satriani has no case.

[Lion24]

Fascinating stuff. Great post. Thanks...

[JoeGdr]

Wow, this is all very fascinating.

[politicalpinball]

Viva La Game Over.
Whether they consciously knew it or not, Coldplay committed plagiarism.
Joe Satriani is not only one of the top five greatest guitarist ever, but also one of the greatest
music teachers. In fact, he has a line of freely available videos where he outlines several guitar exercises. He has never sought the spotlight. Two of his former pupils include Kirk Hammett of Metallica and Steve Vai. In my opinion, not only is Joe one of the greatest guitarist, but also one of the respected and humble people in the music industry.

[Myshkin57]

Click on some of the links people have posted here. If Coldplay plagiarized from Satriani, Satriani plagiarized from at least ten other people.

And, though he may be talented, most of Satriani's stuff sounds like Kenny G translated to the guitar.

[NoSillyName]

Funny.

One is a shot of adrenaline and the other a heavy narcotic.

[Lion24]

"the top five greatest guitarist(s) ever,"

See: Jon Herington

[politicalpinball]

Who?
Seriously?

[WarrenPease]

Satch v. 21st Century Muzak Men.

[Myshkin57]

Isn't Satriani THE Muzak Man?

[Halford]

Joe Satriani is one of the greatest rock
guitarist/composers of all time, and
Coldplay sucks, but I don't see the
law suit here. The styles and arrangement
are so different that I would never have noticed
any similarity were it not for this article.
Coldplay cannot take anything away from Satriani.

[StuntDummy]

Exactly. Its not like its a copy of the song. I don't know if Coldplay maybe heard Satriani's song and maybe it inspired Coldplay and something stuck into the subconscio­us... that would be one thing... but in this case... I don't think Coldplay was plotting to steal thunder (or anything) from Satriani.

Viva la Vida seems to have a more classical music influence (it IS about kings and castles and such)... so it could sound like thousands of other songs of the classical nature.

Where do we draw the line between inspiration and influence, style and "formula", spinning your own version of a broad idea and blatantly copying it?

Is any art 100% original? Aren't most artists kinda working off the collective experience of everything they have seen and heard and felt inspired by? Where do we draw the line?

[NoSillyName]

I agree with your last sentence, but please define "classical".

[Nivekian]

You clearly haven't heard the songs layered on top of each other, it's the same song, Coldplay ripped him off. Satriani is right to sue these hacks.

[Halford]

I would never have layered these two
songs on top of each other

[Myshkin57]

Click on some of the links people have posted here. Satriani's song is the same as at least 10 other songs, probably more. Only difference is that Coldplay at least wrote some lyrics instead of just using a common chord progression and throwing it on an album and labeling it as "original music".

[jmk65]

there is a guitar teacher/theory guy on you tube who actually breaks the songs down chord by chord. i'll try to find it. but check it out. these songs are so similar structurally it is crazy!

[StuntDummy]

Coldplay has always been open about the songs and bands that have influenced their ideas. They have been the first ones to admit, like, (paraphrased example) "We wrote such and such when we were listening to alot of String and U2...". "Talk" was a remake of another song from the 80s and they TOLD everybody this. One of their favorite bands is Radiohead and they are open about that. They have never made any attempts to deny that. They never said their work is 100% original and untainted by other music they heard in the past floating around in their subconscious.

There is a difference between having a distinct signature style as opposed to having a "formula" and there is a difference between writing under the influence of inspiration as opposed to blatant copying.

If you think Coldplay's aim is too high, then that is another story. These are human beings and they are not perfect and never said they were. Coldplay is not hiding influences. They are refreshingly open about it. They are happy to share their creative process. I watched videos and read magazines featuring countless interviews of Chris Martin and the band sharing their stories of how they wrote just about every song they have written. Its NO secret!

Art and creation is a process of standing on the shoulders of your predecessors. Why don't people get that?

[NoSillyName]

Tell that to Ronald Mack.

Here's the court opinion in the Harrison case:
http://cip.law.ucla.edu/cases/case_brightharrisongs.html

[newdreams]

Don't go to the toilets at the Grammy's Coldplay, the servers are lurking.

[Zillacabra]

Wouldn't it be funny if Chris Martin went to use the gents and the bathroom attendant handed him a summons instead of a fluffy towel? And maybe the attendant could spray some lemon juice in Chris's eyes for added dramatic effect instead spritzing him with Aqua di Gio.

[Myshkin57]

It would be even funnier if he used some of Satriani's sheet music as toilet paper. But then, that would just be a list of basic chord progressions with some noodling thrown in, so it probably wouldn't be enough to do the job.

[newdreams]

Hahahahahah. I think we'll see a really nervous Coldplay that night.

[caferide]

So, Joe Satriani is suing Coldplay because their "new" song "Viva La Vida" sounds eerily similar to his song "If I Could Fly" which predates it. But, you might want to take a listen to "Hearts" by Marty Balin, formerly of Jefferson Airplane. His 1981 song predates both and has the same similar melody and chord progression. Who's zooming who?

[dalkowski]

Can a band be sued for sucking?

[senorplaid]

We'd have a class-action here if that were the case.

[Lion24]

If that were the case, Gene Simmons would be living in a bus station.

[gjohntheterrible]

Paul Stanley made KISS what they are. Gene just rode on the coat tails.

[nrgins]

what -- they can't just serve their lawyers?

[Shibiwan]

It seems like Coldplay is trying to duck the lawsuit by avoiding the process servers that are serving them the legal papers. Looks like Coldplay knows they have already been busted and are just trying to avoid the lawsuit.

[dsieburgh]

Unfortunately, what this excerpt fails to note is that the makers of this video used pitch shifting and time shifting to make them line up perfectly. Enormous difference if you compare unaltered clips.

And as has been mentioned before, Satriani "borrowed" much of this from this to start with: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G57CgtX-BsI

[JubyDubyDo]

ColdPlay is amazing! Joe is clearly past his prime and this suit is a stretch.

[PartTimeRoadie]

Satriani past his prime?

Suit is a stretch?!

Coldplay 'amazing'?

What are you smoking? Please put it down.

[NoSillyName]

Your age, please.

[AlanGruskoff]

Not surprising since there has not been an original musical thought by a rock band in this century. We get only regurgitations of 60's and 70's music that seems "fresh" to the listeners who were not born when the original music was made.
As a prize winning songwriter myself, I can say this. The music is not original, but bringing lawsuits everytime its noticed that a 12 note phrase is similar, serves only the lawyers, not the public.

[nicemonster]

Radiohead.

[ATTS bb3]

yes, Radiohead rock. Coldplay is like Radiodisney , harmless pap music. Suits might help them fade away.

[jrb35]

I was just going to say that.

[rbarthjr]

We have a winner!

[Myshkin57]

Yeah, but Radiohead is a group of once-in-a-­decade-if-­not-more artists. I would also say Bjork is something of an original. Whether you like her or not, she does things that others don't.

[RobinSeattle]

Cool! So I can take your songs, make a chord substitution or inversion at the beginning, and rip them off wholesale and claim them as my own? Thanks! You will make things so much easier for me! It's like Rockstar Helper! Plus your statement here insulates me from any plagiarism suit you file when you suddenly have a change of heart. Double cool!

[plargo]

"there has not been an original musical thought by a rock band in this century"

Then you claim to be a "prize winning songwriter"?

What did you win the award for, for having the world's smallest musical mind?

[gjohntheterrible]

Queen

[Myshkin57]

I like Queen but he said THIS century (the 21st).

[NoSillyName]

Hey there, Big Al.