Anybody have any GODSMACK fans on their Christmas list? Collect the set...for cheap! Might not get there before Christmas, but it's a good deal!

That would be cool if Joe would sell a half dozen of his cd's like that for cheap.

Originally Posted by musicradar.com

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. 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 1988. 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." 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." "I did everything I could to avoid a court case"

Satriani stresses that his motives are ruled by artistic purity and an overriding sense of right and wrong. "Everybody's assumes I'm trying to go after these guys in Coldplay, as if I'm doing this with malice," he says "That's the furthest thing from my mind. I'm just doing what I need to do as an artist, to protect what's mine, to protect those feelings I put down in song. "I did everything I could to avoid a court case with this situation. But Coldplay didn't want to talk about it. They just wanted this whole thing to go away. Maybe they figured this little guitar player guy will leave them alone after a while, I don't know. "But we're talking about a piece of art that I created, and that's something I feel is important. I think everybody should feel that way." And now, Satriani's team will ask a jury to decide.

No one that I know of would ever think you are going after Coldplay with "malice" Joe. Right is right....honesty and integrity still matter in this world, and you have both. I know this must be so incredibly hard and painful for you to pursue, and wish there was some way to ease what you must be feeling. I don't like knowing there is a sad Joe Satriani in this world. I wish there was a way to take away your pain.

Joe - you know we're all supporting you and we believe in you, so hang in there, and we'll still all be here for you afterwards, regardless. I read a great little quote about you this weekend that I'll post later, might raise a smile

Alexandre - sorry about Hadji. I know what that feels like.... thoughts with you

Anibur - shocker, slobbering over a half naked guitar hero. That's just wrong LOL. I can't remember where I saw the pic, but I think it's Joe & Steve doing a sound check and it must have been summer. Ha ha, mikemanning audio - good one

Cheese101 - hey up, I got your replies to my replies. I'm outta time for a proper reply to them now (getting on for 3.30am) but sent you the info you asked for - tanks!

Well I seriously seriously suck in pics - please see exhibit 1992 Joe & me photo as evidence - but maybe I'm starting to get there. Ever since that blinkin' Joe bloke's "Go Turkey" advice (not that I'm conciously using it) they're coming out ok a bit more often.

Airplane lurgy gone - mass doses of lemsip : )

Try ipod or creative zen or Sansa view - min of 8GB I guess depending on amount you want on there plus quality of audio

and thanks for that amazing post from music radar - I'm surprised Joe's allowed to talk about it, but the reason behind it, etc - all makes perfect sense and is pure Joe. Lovely guy

Blue Moon - maybe the lemsip will ditch your man flu? Nice vid from Reno, and cool photos posted but where's you and Cop babe???

Michelle - definitely sticking to Chicken PA. I strained my brain and everything else trying to type Penssylvan... oh screw it, that state! I tried the wine and more wine thing - and.......... I fell asleep ?

Igneousiceman - prisoner definitely was a mind "fudge"... as a little kid those bubble gum balls (as I called them) scared me. Jaws & Dr Who weren't an issue, but giant bubble gum - go figure. Air plane lurgy is someone elses flu that I always manage to get during a flight... maybe it's an air recirc thing? The tube also helped me meet the guitarist who's website I'm posting on : )

Jonboy4life - good timing on the sould of distortion question. About 23 days ago Joe said he'd never played it live because he just couldn't keep a lid on the distortion when they tried to perform it live. It was like the distortion was alive (hence "souls")

Goldengirl2 - from what I've read on here, I'm sure Blue Moon can provide you with a better moon shot. There's probably been several posted ; ) I can't think of a bad movie I've seen that has Jon Cusack in it, one of my fave actors as well

Glitzman - hi, not too much going on here. It's cold, it's wet... just like every other day : ) What have you got going on?

[bRoo - I think the timing of your post to say "Joe needs to get some publicity" was spooky. He has it now, although obv not how you or he intended.

Rialton - yes I'm sure it's Satch. I don't think you can really make a mistake when you're improvising? I have recordings of Joe live with 'actual' mistakes. Try the Dreaming No 11 version of Memories for starters - that's definitely Joe. There's a great vid of him doing Boogie (I think Steve Lukather was present) and mistiming but hooking straight back in to the track. He is human : )

Cube - if you sound like miley cyrus I'm thinking you need medical attention more than a lawyer : ) Holdplay pedal board - genius!

Joe Satrini: You are right, that timing was spooky, I hadn't thought of that. Queue Twilight Zone music.......

Joe, everyone here is absolutely behind you 100% - you are doing the right thing and I am disappointed that it's happened. Your music really does speak from you as a true artist. So it must feel like something has been taken from you.

If it helps at all, we know it's an expression from you and it will always be yours.

Cosmic Ape - surely Joe has Sony legal behind him (I'm thinking CP are EMI?)? I guess no one knows the detail without access to the suit. Sparking a lot of interesting debate though!

Guitarman77897 - JS1000BTB (the blue crowd chant guitar), still available in england in right hand drive : )

Skippygirl - I'm going to google it in a mo but I reckon there's a wolf translation tool or wolf ramble convertor or something that maybe wolf man has been using and will help us all.

DOH - did I miss the podcast? In Reno I spy a guy in a time machine top on the left of the stage.... and in SF I spy a tall guy quite a bit that's not Austin - cos it's me : )

Is it wrong that I want Joe's Baubel hanging on my tree?

I have some more stupid vids on my youtoob channel so if anyone wants a distraction please head on over and check 'em out - some more to follow soon.

Plus, there's also some music ones. The playing may be a bit cacky but the compositions are pure class!!

Joe - another masterpiece, and of course we're all Thinking Of You !!

Time Machine

Echo

One Big Rush

HEY JOE, if you're having a rough day, or you have a court date or something, just give a holler on t2j and let us know. You'll have so many prayers and good vibes coming yer way you won't know what hit ya! I'm serious! You let us know when you need it, and we got your back. We can't be with you physically, but honey, you know we got the flow of the Universe going for us. It's the least we can do for you - for all you do for us. WE LOVE YA JOE, and we love yer family. Let us help you get through yer hard times like you help us get through ours.

Either dat, or we can get some of the ol' boys from da hood back in Long Island ta take care of it for ya.... ;-)

The Roo Zone....

here's a little quote (meaning, I didn't think to say this myself)

"if the book written about all that artists have suffered for their art fell on you from above, it would crush you"

Lawyer bill: $[XXXXX] dollars

Internet bill: $[xxxx] dollars

Coldplay download: $0.99

The love and support of your family, your friends, and your fans: Priceless

The truly wonderful thing about your music, Joe, is how it's so deep that it's totally beyond words.

...[??????????? ]...

~f

That's a good idea chelle....Joe has been a fairly frequent flyer in my prayers...guess it's time to amp it up to at least daily prayers for our Joe & his fambly :)

Maritime--I sent you an email. You are a scholar and a gentleman! Thanks for your outpouring of Satch songs! I am enjoying between errands and housekeeping!

Need to catch up with you all, especially DoTheStu, McKenna, Michelle, Tracie, JS1200JS1000......

Ibanezguitars & Michelle(?)--You are so right about ITLIS--I got the CD today with cash from my Steve (My Hero!!) AND ALL YOU T2Jers ENCOURAGEMENT!! I love "Searching" and "I Like the Rain".

Later,

Hey joe i support you and so does everyone at satriani.com. man you and your music are truly inspirational. best wishes

Great to finally hear your thoughts on the matter with that interview, Joe. Your passion for your music shows up yet again. Good luck and don't let it get you down.

And this is honestly the absolute wierdest press I've ever seen about Joe, which is strange since it's some of the only mainstream press he's ever gotten.

And hooray for If I Could Fly, one of the best Satch songs ever recorded for it's emotional, catchy melodies and outro solo that paints his style so well. My personal favourite.

For any who didn't know, the entire first half melody sections were all first-take. And first-take, I mean it's the first time he ever played it on a guitar. The second half, the outro solo, was pieced together over a period of months where Joe would spontaneously play another improvised section at random times to keep the song as fresh and lively as possible.

Yep, Joe, you can add the Aussie contingent to the group prayers and projections of positive feelings we are sending you.

Thanks Cheesey for the copy of the interview, which really hits home how dear that song is to Joe. I had actually thought it was sourced from a similar inspiration or imagery to FIABD but when he said it was a love letter to his wife OMG I could cry - he loves his wife SOOO much. He's incredible.

What a legend.

And JoeSatrini - loved your YT stuff - you're pretty good huh? I have to say the creativeguitar guy has freaked me out with the music theory I could not understand anything he was saying!

I'm finally caught up...woohoo!

Always With Me, Always With You (Live In San Francisco)

Why? Because I was there. :-)

I posted this way back when the movie came out, but I think Engines Of Creation would have made a good soundtrack for the second Matrix movie...

I must have missed your post the first time through, but I just saw it now. Thanks for making me smile. :-)

I've never seen Roy Rogers in concert, but I think it'd be a cool show to see. It's nice that you had a good time...

How old is your son now?

You also make a good point about "two feel" vs. "four feel"...

Excellent advice! Thanks for taking all that time, so I don't have to...hehe. ;-)

And thanks for posting the Music Radar interview. I REALLY like that website...they come up with some great stuff.

And in response to the Godsmack thing, Joe HAS done that. I've never seen it in stores, though.