Viva La STFU Already

This is my column for the Feb 12 issue of Seawanhaka.

For some people (musicians), the Grammys are the most important day of the year.

For others (music geeks), they are just fun to watch and later rip to shreds.

Still others couldn't care less that they happened.

I guess that puts me into the "geek" category. Despite my relative lack of interest in most popular music, I am more than happy to park myself on the sofa and take in the entire three-plus-hour-long telecast.

Honestly there were very few bands that I wanted to see win and even fewer that I wanted to see perform. Even still, as soon as I got home from work Sunday evening I glued myself to the television to watch the ceremony.

I think maybe I was curious to see if I would have to spend the coming days spouting off, righteously indignant, about who should have won but didn't and who won that shouldn't have.

Coming in late, the first performance I saw was Al Green, Justin Timberlake and company singing "Let's Stay Together." I missed U2's performance and coordinating light show. Green and Timberlake put on a good show, one that could have easily included only them. Keith Urban and Boyz II Men were a little excessive. They were the coconut flakes atop an otherwise decent-tasting cupcake: I know there are people out there that enjoyed them, but I'm happy to scrape them off and just eat the frosting underneath.

There probably isn't a bakery-related metaphor to point out that the act was thrown together at the last minute when Chris Brown and Rihanna pulled out. It's true, however; "Let's Stay Together" was filler.

The other performance I really want to mention is Radiohead playing "15 Step" with the University of Southern California marching band. Even if you separate out the fact that, of all the artists that played during the ceremony, they are essentially the only ones I actually listen to, it is still fair to say it was among the best of the evening. It was the only time I was inspired to turn the TV up loud enough to potentially disrupt my neighbor.

Maybe it's my inner nerd talking, but I loved their use of the USC band. That song in particular lent itself well to the use of a drumline and it's a unique way to perform. Instead of yet another collaboration between superstars, Radiohead brought in a style of music far outside their own and worked it seamlessly into their performance.

For the most part, the award recipients were expected and uncontroversial. There are few places to argue with the decisions made by the Recording Academy.

That is, of course, until you get to Coldplay.

Under normal circumstances I could dismiss their wins with a roll of the eyes; just another trendy band getting awards because of their popularity. This year, however, their nominations and wins were actually offensive.

It’s no secret that Coldplay is under fire, both legally and in the media, because of plagiarism allegations surrounding their hit song “Viva La Vida.” Guitarist Joe Satriani filed a suit claiming the band stole a guitar solo from one of his songs, plus Brooklyn band the Creaky Boards released a YouTube video comparing elements of the same song to one of their own.

Until this, honestly, I kind of liked “Viva La Vida.” Ironically, it sounded different and new compared to other songs playing on hit stations at the same time. Of course, one could argue that it doesn’t take much to sound unique compared to what is played on hit stations at any given time.

True, they are supposed to be innocent until proven guilty, but listening to comparisons between all the songs makes red flags go off left and right in my head. And that is what makes their award success particularly bothersome.

If they really did plagiarize these melodies, that puts them only moderately higher than Milli Vanilli on my personal grand ranking of Grammy winners.

The irony really shines when you think about exactly which awards they won. One of the categories Coldplay took was Song of the Year, which is for songwriting. While their lyrics may be original, songwriting also encompasses melodies. Even if they didn’t steal their riffs from anyone, if they are similar enough to garner accusations, they probably aren’t fresh enough to deserve awards.

Even if the legal ruing decides that the melodies are not similar enough to be considered plagiarism, this song - as well as the band that “wrote” it - is essentially tarnished forever.

I can’t be the only one who now hears Coldplay’s music and wonders what other bands are out there, hearing versions of their own melodies and not receiving a dime or any recognition for them.

Maybe that’s harsh, but in a creative field there’s no room for that.