Coldplay, who is on Capital Records, was just sued for plagiarism by Joe Satriani. Satriani's copyright infringement suit claims the Coldplay song "Viva La Vida" incorporates "substantial original portions" of his 2004 instrumental "If I Could Fly."

Guitarist Satriani accuses Coldplay of plagiarism | Entertainment | Reuters

Comparison...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ofFw9DKu_I

So is he fairly well thought of as an artist... or is it just electric guitar cheese?

I think there are people in both camps. I know a lot of people think he plays without feeling (all "technical" and "chops" just because he teaches as well as plays), but I, for one, think extremely highly of him.

There's another band involved too, I forget the name.

One could argue that's its not a really complex melody and that all rock riffs have been somehow recuperated from other songs, but on the other hand, I find Coldplay very bland and unoriginal so I hope Satriani will kick their ass.

the production on that Satriani song is really cheesy.

You need to listen to some Yyngwie Malmsteen.

So is he fairly well thought of as an artist... or is it just electric guitar cheese?

He has fourteen grammy nominations (never won though). I've listened to super collosal and I'm one of those people who personally don't find much of Satch's music compelling no matter how technically skilled it really is.

See?

[ame=http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=YlOyl8m5X00]YouTube - Coldplay SHREDS an Encore[/ame]

you put that up as an example of why coldplay sucks, right? eeesh,

wait, were they trying to be ironic?

you put that up as an example of why coldplay sucks, right? eeesh,

No, I put that up as an example of how close they are to Satriani, to wit:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Vml7SwxXTI]YouTube - Joe Satriani Shreds[/ame]

hrmm, i don't hear it... while I'm not crazy about the Satriani video and the music he played, I find it more artful, or at the very least more masterful than what Coldplay did..... wait, were you being ironic?

Back in the late 80s, I had Satriani's Surfing with the Alien on CD. I bought it because (A) Satch had taught a number of guitarists that I liked at the time (Kirk Hammett, Steve Vai ...uh, maybe someone else) and ( it had the Silver Surfer on the cover. It was kind cheesy sounding even back then. I tried listening to it again around 1994, and promptly traded it in at the local used music store. If memory serves, Satch started singing on later albums. I cannot imagine that going that well. IMJO, he's an Alpha Cock-Rocker who instructed a bunch of other cock-rockers. Coldplay are a bunch of pretentious pop darlings. I can't really take a side in this little slap fight. I hope both parties come away from it bruised.

Please dont address him as Satch. Only one musician deserves that title.

Please dont address him as Satch. Only one musician deserves that title.

True dat. Mea culpa.

Unfortunately, Google image search says otherwise.

Satch had taught a number of guitarists that I liked at the time (Kirk Hammett, Steve Vai ...uh, maybe someone else)...

Uh, the guy from King's X or something. No, it was a group that only had a couple albums, if not only one. Oh, yeah, T-Ride, Geoff Tyson.

Also: Larry La Londe? Charlie Hunter? Alex Skolnick? a bunch o' others:

Joe Satriani - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

... wait, were you being ironic?

Ya think?

what a douche. he's no Duane Allman

Thank god for that.

Let me be lucid for you then: as much as I like Duane Allman (and I do -- Dreams was a godsend one particular all-nighter), I like Satch better.

Lpppt!

Oh, well forget it then.

Cmon, Joe Satriani is awesome if you don't take his music very seriously. If you're looking for some profound artistic realizations look elsewhere, but if you want to hear a musician having way too much fun... well at least Surfing With The Alien is like that, dunno about anything else.

That said, that song is awful.

satriani makes me go zzzzzz....

I think they sound pretty damn similar. But then so do Mythodea movement I and Mars The Bringer of War, but I don't see Holst waging legal war on Vangelis. wait...

Also, Satriani is a talanted bastard, but I find his music to be hollow and vaccuous without anything much worthwhile beyond its shiny exterior. A bit like a varnished McNugget.

Joe Satriani is only awesome if you think that the american auto industry deserves being rewarded for failure.

I admit that sometimes, as I watch the unquestionable virtuoso's head glisten as he effortlessly conjures up unfathomable quantities of notes in the space of a few nanoseconds, I hear a voice in the back of my head telling me that "hey, a bridge loan wouldn't be so bad, it would help the companies get back on their feet until they can create a more viable business model..."

But then I banish these dark thoughts to some faraway corner of my heart and put on some real music.