Re: Metallica Copyright E to F Chord Progression

This is a joke right?

"Al Hovden" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Just thought I would post the original article that spawned the
> "rumour" that Metallica was sueing a Canadian band for using the E to
> F chord progression (this was mentioned in another posting). Careful
> everyone! But then again, when was the last time anyone here played an
> E or F power chord...
>
> Metallica Sue Canadian Band over E, F Chords
> Posted by: editoron Tuesday, July 22, 2003 - 06:03 AM
> "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
>
> MONTREAL - Metallica are taking legal action against independent
> 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.