Metallica Sues Band Over Use Of Chords E And F
AgentOrange
Join Date: 2002-11-18 Member: 9244Members
Join Date: 2002-11-18 Member: 9244Members
<div class="IPBDescription">Demands 50% of all revenue</div> This is the final freaking straw. I was never really a Metallica fan but I found this to be absurd, and for all I care, they can all die in a plane crash at this point. **** Metallica. They've turned into corporate rock ****.
You can read the original article by clicking <a href='http://www1.scoopthis.com/411/met_uf/stc_met_uf_mtv.htm' target='_blank'>HERE.</a>
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"It's just a matter of a band having the right to protect the chords it uses. I couldn't start up my own soft drink company using the exact same formula as Coca-Cola." — Jill Pietrini, Metallica's lawyer
<span style='font-size:10pt;line-height:100%'><b>Metallica Sue Canadian Band over E, F Chords</span>
07.15.2003 1:55 PM EDT
MONTREAL — </b>Metallica are taking legal action against independant Canadian rock band Unfaith over what they feel is unsanctioned usage of two chords the band has been using since 1982 : E and F.
"People are going to get on our case again for this, but try to see it from our point of view just once," stated Metallica's Lars Ulrich. "We're not saying we own those two chords, individually - that would be ridiculous. We're just saying that in that specific order, people have grown to associate E, F with our music."
Metallica filed a trademark infringement suit against the indie group at the US district court for central California on Monday. According to the drummer, the continued use of the two chords causes "confusion, deception and mistake in the minds of the public".
Metallica's lawyer, Jill Pietrini, told us that the band decided to take legal action only after first sending a letter of complaint to the Canadian band's singer/songwriter, Erik Ashley.
"We sent a demand letter and haven't reached a resolution, so we had to sue," she said. "They continue to shamelessly feature the two chords on their website song samples and we just can't have that."
Ashley, in the meantime, is still shocked by the entire story, and hasn't yet decided how the band will respond.
"I thought it was a prank at first," he told us. "Now I'm not sure what to think."
Ulrich states that he's not trying to prevent Unfaith from using the two chords, only that he feels Metallica should be credited for them whenever used, and is calling for 50% of all revenue generated from any song using them.
"It's nothing personal against them," he added. "We intend to enforce our rights with any band intending to use Metallica-branded chords in the future."
This marks the first time anything of this kind has ever been tried in court, and it will be interesting to see how things develop.
Metallica's website has issued an official statement on the suit here.
Unfaith's official website hasn't officially responded at print time.
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Here is Metallicas statement from their <a href='http://http://www1.scoopthis.com/411/met_uf/stc_met_uf.htm' target='_blank'>website</a>
<b>METALLICA DEFENDS RIGHTS AGAINST CANADIAN BAND OVER E, F CHORDS | 7/16/2003 </b>
We have elected to pursue legal action against Unfaith, a Canadian band using chords (E & F) traditionally associated with Metallica. We intend to agressively defend our rights in this matter to the fullest extent of the law. It's nothing personal against the band in question, as we intend to do the same to anyone else using the same chords in that order.
We're not saying we own the E chord, or even the F - that would be ridiculous. We're just saying that together, people have grown to associate them with our music, and their continued use in the same song causes confusion, deception and mistake in the minds of the public.
We are fighting this fight for our fans, who don't deserve to be subjected to this confusion... just as we appreciate their support through this.
You can read the original article by clicking <a href='http://www1.scoopthis.com/411/met_uf/stc_met_uf_mtv.htm' target='_blank'>HERE.</a>
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"It's just a matter of a band having the right to protect the chords it uses. I couldn't start up my own soft drink company using the exact same formula as Coca-Cola." — Jill Pietrini, Metallica's lawyer
<span style='font-size:10pt;line-height:100%'><b>Metallica Sue Canadian Band over E, F Chords</span>
07.15.2003 1:55 PM EDT
MONTREAL — </b>Metallica are taking legal action against independant Canadian rock band Unfaith over what they feel is unsanctioned usage of two chords the band has been using since 1982 : E and F.
"People are going to get on our case again for this, but try to see it from our point of view just once," stated Metallica's Lars Ulrich. "We're not saying we own those two chords, individually - that would be ridiculous. We're just saying that in that specific order, people have grown to associate E, F with our music."
Metallica filed a trademark infringement suit against the indie group at the US district court for central California on Monday. According to the drummer, the continued use of the two chords causes "confusion, deception and mistake in the minds of the public".
Metallica's lawyer, Jill Pietrini, told us that the band decided to take legal action only after first sending a letter of complaint to the Canadian band's singer/songwriter, Erik Ashley.
"We sent a demand letter and haven't reached a resolution, so we had to sue," she said. "They continue to shamelessly feature the two chords on their website song samples and we just can't have that."
Ashley, in the meantime, is still shocked by the entire story, and hasn't yet decided how the band will respond.
"I thought it was a prank at first," he told us. "Now I'm not sure what to think."
Ulrich states that he's not trying to prevent Unfaith from using the two chords, only that he feels Metallica should be credited for them whenever used, and is calling for 50% of all revenue generated from any song using them.
"It's nothing personal against them," he added. "We intend to enforce our rights with any band intending to use Metallica-branded chords in the future."
This marks the first time anything of this kind has ever been tried in court, and it will be interesting to see how things develop.
Metallica's website has issued an official statement on the suit here.
Unfaith's official website hasn't officially responded at print time.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here is Metallicas statement from their <a href='http://http://www1.scoopthis.com/411/met_uf/stc_met_uf.htm' target='_blank'>website</a>
<b>METALLICA DEFENDS RIGHTS AGAINST CANADIAN BAND OVER E, F CHORDS | 7/16/2003 </b>
We have elected to pursue legal action against Unfaith, a Canadian band using chords (E & F) traditionally associated with Metallica. We intend to agressively defend our rights in this matter to the fullest extent of the law. It's nothing personal against the band in question, as we intend to do the same to anyone else using the same chords in that order.
We're not saying we own the E chord, or even the F - that would be ridiculous. We're just saying that together, people have grown to associate them with our music, and their continued use in the same song causes confusion, deception and mistake in the minds of the public.
We are fighting this fight for our fans, who don't deserve to be subjected to this confusion... just as we appreciate their support through this.
This discussion has been closed.
Comments
Because, when people think of me, they think of 'M'.
I'm suing Metallica.
That's so ridiculous...
gg. For the fans? Does Metallica even have fans anymore? I thought they died out 5 years ago!
Thats 10 $ American, and you used the mad.gif. That's another 10$.
On second thought, your Compeh. No charge.
;D
Countersuit..freaking say they have no right to copyright Chords.
It's like playing beethoven.
Urgh..... Metallica just went from half a shred of credability to zero.
I mean this is beyond insane. This is about as sane as Comprox drinking an american beer...sheesh !
From a sane Metallica fan, **** you Metallica.
wow...that's all I can really say.
<a href='http://www1.scoopthis.com/411/met_uf/stc_met_uf_mtv.htm' target='_blank'>http://www1.scoopthis.com/411/met_uf/stc_m..._met_uf_mtv.htm</a>
This was your link to the official Metallica Website... you would think it would be on Metallica.com
<a href='http://www1.scoopthis.com/411/met_uf/stc_met_uf.htm' target='_blank'>http://www1.scoopthis.com/411/met_uf/stc_met_uf.htm</a>
<a href='http://www1.scoopthis.com/411/met_uf/stc_met_uf_mtv.htm' target='_blank'>http://www1.scoopthis.com/411/met_uf/stc_m..._met_uf_mtv.htm</a>
This was your link to the official Metallica Website... you would think it would be on Metallica.com
<a href='http://www1.scoopthis.com/411/met_uf/stc_met_uf.htm' target='_blank'>http://www1.scoopthis.com/411/met_uf/stc_met_uf.htm</a> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
I noticed this as well, hope this isn't a joke.
<a href='http://www.scoopthis.com/pages/article.cgi?file=default/aboutus.htm' target='_blank'>http://www.scoopthis.com/pages/article.cgi...ult/aboutus.htm</a>
<!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo-->
It's okay @gent, it's pretty well done... well except for the URLs.
¬_¬
And all the fans hate their newest album <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
R.I.P
Guess we're both idiots now...
P.S. Anyone who knew how completely ridiculous it would be to copyright a chord, give yourself a cookie. Anyone who was up in arms about this "news": No cookies for you. Ever!
I finally managed to catch a friend of mine with this story. He's usually a <i>huge</i> know-it-all, but we all know he's full of it. For example: I'll send him a funny link, he'll say he's already seen it. I'll tell him a rumor I've heard, he'll say he's already heard it. I test drove a sweet new car last week, he says he's already driven it. I find a very useful new application, he says he's already been using it for months.
I sent this story to him, he said he's already heard of it ages ago, and then went ahead and started giving me <b>details</b> about it that weren't in the story. All I said was "URL. Look.", and he shut right up. Gawd, I wish I was there to see his face. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
LOVE IT!! MWAAHAHAHAAA!! <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
i mean Eminem Raps.. therefore nobody else can rap... cos people associate rap with eminem.
sue them all!
metallica are past it anyways.
i mean Eminem Raps.. therefore nobody else can rap... cos people associate rap with eminem.
sue them all!
metallica are past it anyways. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Don't push it dude.. i still like em just not their "new and improved" albums
<!--emo&:angry:--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/mad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='mad.gif'><!--endemo-->
found this though:
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Can I register a domain name that has 'Metallica' included in it?
If you have a website that is solely dedicated to Metallica in compliance with these guidelines, the band will allow you to register and use a domain name with the name 'Metallica' in it. Please submit your request and inquiries regarding this subject to webmaster@metclub.com.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
(pulled from <a href='http://www.metallica.com/metdotcom/help/copyright_trademark.html' target='_blank'>here</a>)
I still find that amusing
<a href='http://www.metallicasucks.com/page2.html' target='_blank'>http://www.metallicasucks.com/page2.html</a>
(useful, aint it).
I was sure this was a joke, by the thread title...
Are they out of their *swearfilter* *swearfilter* *swearfilter* minds?!
i mean Eminem Raps.. therefore nobody else can rap... cos people associate rap with eminem.
sue them all!
metallica are past it anyways. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Don't push it dude.. i still like em just not their "new and improved" albums
<!--emo&:angry:--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/mad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='mad.gif'><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
sorry <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->