OT - I'm Being Sued!

BrassBlower · Post by **BrassBlower** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 7:51 am

Yesterday afternoon I was contacted by lawyers for the heavy-metal rock band Metallica. I am being sued by plagiarism.

When I asked him why, the lawyer simply stated that the band had heard a recording of me playing "Morrison's Jig" on the guitar at a session. He claims that the Em-D-Em-D-Em-D-G-D-G-D chord progression I used was the same one Metallica used in their hit song "Enter Sandman". I told him that everyone I've ever heard uses that chord progression on Morrison's Jig, to which he replied, "Maybe so, but your version was the one they heard, and we can go after the other guys later."

He told me I shouldn't feel alone in all this, because they are also suing Green Linnet claiming that their company name resembles "Black Album" too much.

Stay posted on the case of Metallica vs. Edwards!

tansy · Post by **tansy** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 8:00 am

what is this world coming to

littlejohngael · Post by **littlejohngael** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 8:03 am

You have GOT to be kidding me. The RIAA vs. Napster stupidity has gone to their heads! What are they smoking over there?

Little John

IDAwHOa · Post by **IDAwHOa** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 8:25 am

So, how long has Morrison's Jig been around as compared to the Metallica song? Maybe someone should sue Metalica for plagarism? I think they need to prove that they were playing it before anyone else did. I think they also have to prove that you financially harmed them with your riff.

This is just another case of too many lawyers with time on their hands. If they are not suing someone they are not making money.

By the way, I think we all know what they have been smoking!

Steven

Roger O'Keeffe · Post by **Roger O'Keeffe** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 8:38 am

Does 1 April fall late this year?

Bloomfield · Post by **Bloomfield** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 8:44 am

littlejohngael wrote:You have GOT to be kidding me.

I think he IS kidding you.

illuminatus99 · Post by **illuminatus99** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 8:49 am

isn't morrison's jig older than any member of metallica?

illuminatus99 · Post by **illuminatus99** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 8:50 am

come to think of it, my band was doing whiskey in the jar long before metallica did it...........

Martin Milner · Post by **Martin Milner** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 8:55 am

This could be another reason why session players don't like being recorded...

Can you copywrite a chord progression? Loads of songs & tunes share the same chord progression, but I've never heard of this course of action before.

Wombat · Post by **Wombat** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 9:04 am

illuminatus99 wrote:isn't morrison's jig older than any member of metallica?

Morrison's Jig is older than Morrison.

illuminatus99 · Post by **illuminatus99** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 9:07 am

Martin Milner wrote:This could be another reason why session players don't like being recorded...

Can you copywrite a chord progression? Loads of songs & tunes share the same chord progression, but I've never heard of this course of action before.

I think you can only copyright a chord progression if it's substantially unique, Em-D-Em-D-Em-D-G-D-G-D is certainly not unique

BrassBlower · Post by **BrassBlower** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 9:20 am

http://www.rockdirt.com/article3.html

Bloomfield · Post by **Bloomfield** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 9:37 am

BrassBlower wrote:http://www.rockdirt.com/article3.html

Dotmusic reports Metallica have again taken to the courts this time to go after MHT Luxury Alloys, who have been producing wheels called 'The Metallica'. An MHT spokesman denies any intention of ripping off the band's name saying, "My boss is 48-years-old and doesn't know much about the music industry. The wheels were metal, so he called it the Metallica. That's all there was to it."

Unfortunately they have to do this sort of thing. Everyone agrees that no one should be able to start a metal band and call it Metallica. To protect their mark, they have to sue everyone, because defending the mark is one of the legal requirements of keeping it. The 48-year-old boss shouldn't take it personally, and settle asap.

JMcCYoung · Post by **JMcCYoung** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 9:43 am

Wombat wrote:
illuminatus99 wrote:isn't morrison's jig older than any member of metallica?
Morrison's Jig is older than Morrison.

There's actually some interesting history to the tune name. See:

http://tinyurl.com/h8c3

Okay, I don't get out much.

Thanks for the giggle, BrassBlower!

John

P.S. Do you think Metallica has noticed that "Sony" has exactly - EXACTLY , mind you - 4/9 the number of letters as their band name, and that NONE of the letters are the same? Can this be mere coincidence? Hmm ... I wonder if I might get a reward for turning them in?

Post by **Dale** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 10:22 am

Roger O'Keeffe wrote:Does 1 April fall late this year?

Surely. Please tell me yes.

Dale