Music Plagiarism Advice?

[starlover666]

Hi everyone

I just realised last night that a song from the new Manic Street Preachers album is very very similar to a song i recorded with my old band. I know it's unlikely that such a well-established band would deliberately rip off an unsigned band, but it's not impossible. I handed James Dean Bradfield a copy of our demo at a gig a couple of years ago, which makes me think that it's possible.

Anyway, i'm just wondering if anyone's got any experience of this, and if anyone could offer any advice? I haven't got a clue what to do about it!

Thanks!

Rob.

[Damian]

I guessed you'd be asking Manics questions from your user ID.

Hmmm. I'd say frankly you're on a hiding to nothing. People in bands get handed stuff all the time, and if you're of a particular "size" I doubt you'd listen to many, if any of them. There are only so many notes to go round. Joe Satriani is insisting Coldplay ripped off something and I can't believe that for one second. And talking of the Manics album, the chorus of "Jackie Collins Existential Question Time", the melody line is the same as "Temptation" by Heaven 17. This sort of stuff happens all the time, consciously or unconsciously.

And they'll have expensive lawyers. Frankly you're on a hiding to nothing unless the similarities are substantive and undeniable. If that's the case, start with the Musician's Union website for advice...

[starlover666]

Ah, thanks Damian! Yep, for my sins, i'm a manics fan! I actually feel pretty dirty even entertaining the idea of taking it any further, especially since they've been a massive part of my life for so long. To be honest, the similarity between the songs is worrying...my girlfriend isn't really musically inclined at all (she likes what she likes but doesn't understand chords or anything) and even she thinks it's almost the same song.

I guess i'm chuffed and shocked in equal measure!

I'm at work at the minute, but i'll try and upload my old band's song tonight. Obviously, i won't be able to do the same with the manics song, but the song in question is "This Joke Sport Severed" which is probably (ironically) my favourite of the album at the moment.

I totally agree that i'm probably on a hiding to nothing though. Plus, their song's better than ours anyway (although ours has a guitar solo - ha!).