After settling a lawsuit against advertisers who used their songs without permission last year, the Black Keys are now targeting ad songs that merely sound similar to their own.
To explain, here's how music works in advertising. A company could buy the rights to a song by a major artist like the Black Keys, but it's expensive.
If they want the Black Keys sound and style for less money, a company can go to a production house who can record something similar but with a different composition to avoid lawsuits. That is, until now.
Billboard reports that the band are taking Pinnacle Entertainment and Manhattan Production Music to court for using "substantially similar" music in their adverts for a chain of casinos.
It is alleged that a representative for the casino had casually mentioned that the apparently similar song was "a licensed track inspired by 'Howlin' for You' by The Black Keys." It seems like the band picked up on this admission, and a similar comment on the casino's Twitter feed.
Meanwhile, drummer Patrick Carney says musicians should never feel entitled to anything.
"We've definitely worked hard, but a lot of bands have worked just as hard. You just have to feel really lucky. Never feel like you’re entitled to it – because then you just sort of turn into a prick," he told 93XRT.
I agree. To me, they come off as somewhat egotistical (and as immature as this sounds) I'm already getting sick of them since they're already over played on the radio. Also, I hate hipsters.
I can't stand their antics but I really do dig their tunes. It's also cool that Dan brought back Dr John. But suing Pizza hut, randomass TV commercials and talking bad about just about any band they can think of gets on my nerves. To a certain extent i think it's okay to speak your mind about other musicians, but not to the extreme they seem to take it.
Basically, a tune which sounded incredibly similar to The John Butler Trio's song Zebra was used in an ad for Oikos Greek Yoghurt, aired during the Superbowl last year. Last story short, there was a monetary settlement to JB.
All the Black Keys do is rip off old blues music. They are a poor-man's White Stripes. I don't see how they can sue an ad company for making generic ad music that sounds like them. I never liked this band and now I like them even less.
I agree with you on this one. They haven't done anything groundbreaking whatsoever. I mean, the fact that the 70's rock scene had a bunch of rock and roll artists that had similar sounds proves that it's just a part of the times. Bands influence each other and start to sound a bit like each other. It's not the time to sue other bands, it's a time to just write more material that is unique and special. For the Black Keys, it might be a tad hard for them though since, you know, what you said...
This is all true, but you have to remember that this case is based around people ripping off a specific song . It's not really the same as fitting into a pre-existing genre. I definately agree that this band aren't as original as alot of people seem to assume though!
I disagree with you on the "groundbreaking" issue.
they are fairly mainstream getting in some top charts in some countries.
how long ago was the last blues guitarist who did that? they didnt invent blues, but I guess they brought it back to the public again. Thats sort of groundbreaking in this day and age.
Which makes me think the same thing could be done with rock.
On all other points I agree with you though.
I could not agree with you more, dear God. I don't have a huge problem with their music, even if it is just a rip off of old blues in a sense, and completely a poor man's White Stripes, but these guys are two of if the biggest dickhead's in music. They really aren't the fantastic musicians they think they are.
They are complete dickheads. There was an article about this issue (last summer?). They were insulting a few bands and calling them talentless (Nickelback being one of them which I COMPLETELY agree with). You guys think you are that much better than everyone else out there?
I personally cant stand this band at all. I think the music blows and they in general are pricks. You havent done shit and you're talking shit about other bands and suing everyone you can think of. Guess they realize that they are not going to be around forever and they need to cash in any way possible. I hope thier bus crashes
what is next? They sue other bands for using and A chord with the delay set to the same millisecond?
"Hey that is the way WE used the A chord, you can't do that"
These guys have really been choking the past few years. Terrible band, won't be too much longer until they dissolve when all of this hipster shit dies down.
Just lost the little shred of respect I had for these ****ers. I have always found the drummer to be a mouthy little shit, I mean shit meg white is a better drummer in my books and well she drums like my 7 year old cousin...And of course they weren't influenced by the greats like Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, John Lee Hooker...god damn hipsters. /end rant
You guys haven't seen the commercials that rip them of, have you? It's almost every commercial now where it's either a Black Keys song or a rip off, with the tone and everything.
They're not suing the Pack A.D. or Black Angels or a real band, they're suing advertisers whose sole intent is to bank off of the Black Keys' success.
I like them regardless of pat carney being a massive douche. They have good catchy tunes and it's nice to see a rock based band break into the mainstream while still making great songs.
Here's a very shortened lesson on the subject of "creativity":
Everything you create is a product of what you already know, you can't just create something that doesn't even exist in your own mind, it has to come from somewhere else.
The first person who made a car didn't just dream it up, it was a product inspired by different types of engineering.
While it is possible (and has been done) to create something extremely different, it still holds its influences and eventually everything reaches a point where most creative products are going to be very similar to something else that already exists.
Also I should mention: You can NOT own an idea, if someone takes your idea and uses it for themselves, it's perfectly legal.
Products can be owned, similar ideas spawned from the product can not.
What a joke! White dudes playing bad blues that have all been done to death a thousand times over!?!? Suing people over ripping off their ripoffs!?!?!? Saw them at Lolla and they were terrible. Saw them with the Stones and their sound was piss poor and their signal static-y... not to mention the drummer is the stiffest "pro" I've ever seen. It's a testament to the terrible state of rock music that these guys are in the mainstream. In the 90's and before, they'd be a one-off specialty blues act. Honestly, I'd rather listen to Blues Traveler for this type of white boy blues.
So a band that write completely mediocre, unoriginal music is suing someone for simply sounding like them? Looks like they're gonna have to sue half of the mainstream artists out there.
I'll admit to liking some of their songs, even though they dissed on my favorite band (yes, Nickelback). But as people, these guys, especially the drummer, are d-bags.
I don't know how to respond to this... I mean... Nickelback and you like some songs but they're douches but... wow... at a loss. I guess I'll just vote you down for being Nickelbacks biggest fan.
I really like the black keys and all.... but Little Black submarine is just the progression of mary janes last dance but after the second G he goes back to A instead of D then A.....
what a pretentious bunch of ****s. never liked the black keys and for ****ing sure wont be buying anything of theirs in the future. they're mediocre at best and are nothing but 70s rip off merchants. sit there quietly you asshats.
Suing companies who deliberately rip off other musicians work isn't anything new. In the 80s, Doritos wanted to use Tom Waits' Step Right Up for an ad (failing to see the irony) and he said no, so they ripped him off, Tom sued and won.
It's kind of amusing that a generic, boring, second-rate blue act would think that people are 'stealing their sound' when everything they've released is ostensibly stolen.
Suing because music is similar or inspired by something else is getting into a tricky area...Jimi Hendrix's family could sue about 25% of modern rock, what he couldn't sue then the Rolling Stones, The Beatles or Black Sabbath could sue.
I seem to remember several debacles over 'Goin to California' by Zeppelin too, I believe Given to Fly by Pearl Jam got in the firing line, Tori Amos' Silent All These Years also.
Is howling for you supposed to be a good song? God it was pounded into my head for a year while I played Nhl 11. Thank god I figured out how to play my own music on Nhl 12.
These guys were a lot cooler when they weren't constantly chasing the $$$$$ around. But i guess you gotta get it while you can. especially when the only thing that sounds new on the albums is the addition of a few extra instruments.
I just lost all respect for them.. there drummer is a FUCKING MORON...uhh no one should feel entitled.. that why we're entitled to money cause someone sounded like us.. **** off and make up for that SHITTY excuse of an album El camino was.
Kinda lost respect for all the users on this site as of the past 6 months. Sure this is bullshit from them, but to call them unoriginal and say their music sucks balls and then the bands that you guys all hail as Gods on here...you guys are some dumb fuc.ks. No taste in music here.
I'm wondering what Billy Gibbons makes of all this. The Black Keys did sample "Got Me Under Pressure" as the main riff in "I'm A Lonely Boy." No credit is given to Mr. Gibbons under this title at the Library of Congress website where copyright information is public domain. All of us musicians have to share the same 12 notes.
This is ****in stupid....I dont agree with suein people over this shit and loose all respect for a band because of it.After this however i wish bands from the 60's and 70's would now comeforth and sur this band into oblivion.
Exactly..Substantially Similar..IF that's the case then no new music would ever get made. That's why all these bands are really into the electronics now. It hides the fact that their songs are just older songs disquised by their new shit. It makes it harder for older bands to sue.
I'm getting tired of these hipster "fake vintage" bands who feel like they're the only ones in the world making good music. Excuse me, but the fact that you heard one old blues record in your grandma's house 20 years ago doesn't suddenly make you Robert Johnson. They're as annoying as Jack White... "LOOK AT ME I HAS TEH CRAPPY GEETAR 'COS I IZ VINTAGE LOLZ". Just stop it. Please.
Surely a feeling of entitlement is the basis of any lawsuit?