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Joe Satriani speaks about Coldplay lawsuit
A MusicRadar exclusive interview
Joe Bosso, Sun 7 Dec 2008, 9:58 pm UTC
As previously reported on MusicRadar, Joe Satriani is suing Coldplay, claiming the UK band's Grammy-nominated song Viva La Vida uses one of his melodies.
In court papers filed on 4 December 2008, Satriani's legal team alleges Viva La Vida, the title track of Coldplay's current album, copies "substantial original portions" of his song If I Could Fly.
Satriani's song was included on his 2004 album Is There Love In Space?
Speaking exclusively to MusicRadar on 6 December, Joe Satriani recalls the exact emotion he felt when he first heard Coldplay's Viva La Vida.
"The second I heard, I knew..."
"I felt like a dagger went right through my heart. It hurt so much," Satriani says. "The second I heard it, I knew it was [my own] If I Could Fly."
As it turned out, Satriani wasn't the only one who noticed the similarity between If I Could Fly and Viva La Vida.
"Almost immediately, from the minute their song came out, my e-mail box flooded with people going, 'Have you heard this song by Coldplay? They ripped you off man.' I mean, I couldn't tell you how many e-mails I received.
"Everybody noticed the similarities between the songs. It's pretty obvious." Joe Satriani
"Everybody noticed the similarities between the songs. It's pretty obvious. It's as simple as that - when you listen to a song and you say, 'Wow, that's a real rip-off.'"
What makes the situation especially painful for Satriani is that If I Could Fly isn't just any song. It's a composition he'd been laboring over for well over 10 years before he recorded it.
"I started writing it on the Flying In A Blue Dream tour back in 1990. But because of the way I write, sometimes songs take a while, as this one did. In 2003 I started demoing it in earnest. I played it on the acoustic guitar on a demo so I could sing the melody, then I demoed it on electric to get the sound. And the performance turned out to be so spontaneous, so right and so emotional, that it wound up being a keeper."
Joe Satriani is suing Coldplay, alleging Viva La Vida uses his melody from If I Could Fly
Satriani feels "really hurt"
Since If I Could Fly came out in 2004, Satriani has been gratified by the reaction it's received from his fans, many of whom have called it one of his most captivating songs.
"That was the intent all along," he says. "It was a love letter to my wife, Rubina – a simple, direct expression of feeling.
"That's what really hurts about this whole thing. That I spent so long writing the song, thinking about it, loving it, nursing it, and then finally recording it and standing on stages the world over playing it - and then somebody comes along and plays the exact same song and calls it their own."
"Coldplay didn't want to talk about it. They just wanted this whole thing to go away." Joe Satriani
Since it was announced on 4 December 2008 that Satriani is suing Coldplay for alleged plagiarism, seeking a jury trial and "any and all profits" connected to Viva La Vida, his life has been turned upside down.
"This has been the weirdest thing I've ever been involved in," he says. "The media attention has been bizarre and surreal. I really can't explain how I've felt over the past day or two."
User comments (107)
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"Is There Love In Space?" is one of my favourite albums by Joe.
Not being a Coldplay follower, I first heard about the similarity between "If I Could Fly" and "Vida La Vida" in the media. First impressions were, being a little cynical, maybe Joe was after a bit of money? (sorry Joe, sign of the times!).
But, it perked my interest so much, I downloaded "Vida La Vida" just to see/hear what all the fuss was about. I can see why Joe is feeling a bit sick. I mean, "Vida La Vida" sounds like a total rip-off of the "If I Could Fly" melody. Even the underlying rhythm is similar! Coldplay didn't even try to make their track sound remotely dissimilar (apart from singing the melody, as opposed to soloing on the Electric Guitar).
I hope Joe gets a credit on this track. I'm so totally sick of rappers, hip-hoppers and club-vibe musak persons ripping off original recordings. The music industry is in the crapper, because real true talent isn't allowed to flourish any more. Can you imagine a Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, CCR, etc getting a recording contract with a major label today? Not likely. Maybe you get the occasional breakout act, like Maroon 5, but apart from that, there is such a lot of unoriginal junk out there.
Stick to your guns Joe, and make an example of these Coldplay guys and their corporate dinosaur recording label cowboys! -
Go Joe!
For that matter U2 should sue Coldplay as well,
seeing as I can sing U2 lyrics to most of their' songs!
obviously a lack of creativity going on there-
I'd get sued if I re-recorded somebodies song with my own lyrics and released it....
welcome to the music industry! -
BTW if Satriani was so "hurt" by this why did it take him 6 months to file the suit? Lawsuits don't take that long to file. I think he's full of sh** He just wants the cha ching $$$ at the expense of messing with someone else's life.
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If Coldplay ripped off Satriani, then Satriani ripped off Cat Steven's "Love/Heaven" at 3:15 from 1973. Same beat, same chord progression, same melody.
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Satriani's song sounds like 80's hit from Marty Balin "Hearts" main melody. Sorry Satch but you didn't invent this one.
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bagabagapop... you're contradicting yourself.
You're saying that Satriani's actions are exagerated, but you are claiming than when you realised your song was "similar" (like you are saying...) to another song you decided it was better not to play it at a gig. You are honest because of that. Coldplay not only decided to perform it, it's the first cut on their last CD and it's nominated for a Grammy Award. And they're taking all the credit for it.
You're also failing in one thing. I think no one can agree with you in calling lyrics "music". Lyrics are no music, they're words that you put on top of the music. That's it. And Satriani is claiming melody, harmony, etc, not lyrics. So that statement is completely unvalid.
Also, you say that satriani's melody is present on 51'' and the song lasts for 242''... and then you say that those 51'' are 6.3% of the whole... You might know a lot about music, but you need to check your math. 51'' is 21% of the song. And, music plagiarism is not judged in that way. It's judged by number of bars copied. And Coldplay, willingly or not, copied a bit too much.
Clearly you think Satriani has no right to claim here. But I think you're wrong, and you too... and I quote you on this: I just finished writing a wonderful song. Like just beautiful. I was about to go play it at a gig, and realized it was pretty dang similar to "Indiana" by Jon McLaughlin. I mean mine was a lot more similar than this, but so I ended up not playing it
You didn't play it because you are honest... Coldplay weren't in this case. And it's even worse. Satriani claims that he tried to talk to them (which is probably true, the lawsuit came in december, and the song has been on radios a lot before than that). Coldplay claims in their website that they are so shocked about it... as if they didn't know about any possible lawsuits for Viva la Vida...
The whole mood thing you mention before is pointless... music is subjective, it can mean very different things to different people.
cheers! -
exactly. I can honestly say it happens to me. I just finished writing a wonderful song. Like just beautiful. I was about to go play it at a gig, and realized it was pretty dang similar to "Indiana" by Jon McLaughlin. I mean mine was a lot more similar than this, but so I ended up not playing it. But I still wouldnt call it bad for coldplay to do that. It is how music breeds. It has a root and bits and pieces are emerged and put together. Both of these songs are wonderful and should be left alone. It ruins them. Now when I listen to them I will think of this. And that sucks. Music is not meant to argue over, I almost believe that it shouldnt be used to make money either, but I do that...so haha. It is supposed to bring peace to yourself and leave you breathless. It sparks creativity and inspires many. It defines life, and It is so much more than property owned by one person. Its amazing.
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Just to add. I don't think Coldplay deliberately copied the song. I reckon what happened is one of the members heard the song somewhere but wasn't really taking notice of it then when it came to writing music that melody and riff came to his head and he thought he made it up.
And also I don't think joe should get all profits made from the song. He should get a large percentage though. But Coldplay did write the lyrics which i think they deserve some credit for. -
ok well satch4life please tell me what im missing that makes it so obvious. the fact that people on this article means nothing because half the people found it on the joesatriani website. And the only people that go there are fans of satriani. Of course people like you who have closed minds would support satriani with out think it through like a MATURE person.
No hate on satriani. I still think he is amazing and that his music is amazing, but coldplay has tons of talent too. And just because coldplay is getting rich of a song that has similarities to his song doesnt mean he wrote it. He didnt write the song obviously because coldplay wrote lyrics. So you now have that he wrote the music. Well he can only claim he wrote 2 lines of each verse, because that is all that is similar, then it goes off into a totally different tune. Plus the melody is about 60% the same. So that all ads up(if you wanna do the math go ahead) to about 6.5% of the song that satriani can claim to have written, because half of the song is lyrics, only 60% similar, Viva la Vida is 242 seconds long and only 51seconds contain that tune. So if 6.3% is considered a whole to you...then i wish you...a lot. Oh ya and by the way you cant say that there are 99% people supporting satriani and 1% not supporting him because there are only 69 comments posted at the moment and without looking I know of at least 3 comments saying that we support coldplay. If you understood math (which from what ive said this whole time I would say your...13) you would know that there was more that 1% the second I posted a comment. :) -
Wellll bagagabop you missed the part about the fact that the lawsuit was satch's last option he tried to sort it out with them like grown ups but it turns out coldplay are a bunch of immature little boys and didnt want to hear about it.
Anyways its obvious that coldplay are scummers and should gtfo.
"If I Could Fly" is such a beautiful sogn i can close my eyes and go into another world (like all of satchs music).
BUT! STEALING MUSIC! that is the lowest act know to a musician and coldplay shouldnt even call themselves musicians! they are the lowlife scum of the music industry takign credit for another mans work!
Satch poors his heart and soul into his music and that si why its so inspirational and beautiful.
the ratio fo comments is 99% SATCH! to 1% Coldplay
not only because coldplay are so far in the wrong but the fact that satriani has AWSOME FANS AND WE ALL LOVE YOU TO DEATH SATCH! AND IWLL SUPPORT YOU ALL THE WAY! 100%
Yours the greatest guitarist to step foot on thsi planet and we are forever greatful for you to grace out lives!
I can go on forever about satriani but we all know how amazing he is and that we all know its an obvious choice for a HONEST musician like SATRIANI to FIGHT FOR HIS MUSIC!
SATCH 4 LIFE!
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