COLDPLAY - GUITAR LEGEND SATRIANI ACCUSES COLDPLAY OF PLAGIARISM

GUITAR LEGEND SATRIANI ACCUSES COLDPLAY OF PLAGIARISM

Coldplay face a plagiarism lawsuit after guitarist Joe Satriani accused the Grammy nominees of using one of his riffs.

The 52-year-old's copyright infringement suit claims Coldplay's Viva La Vida used "substantial original portions" of his 2004 instrumental track If I Could Fly.

The guitarist's suit, filed in Los Angeles on Thursday, states the guitarist is seeking a jury trial, damages and "any and all profits" arising from the alleged plagiarism.

A number one hit for Coldplay, Viva La Vida is credited to the band's four members - Chris Martin, Guy Berryman, Johnny Buckland and Will Champion - and took its title from Mexican artist Frida Kahlo.

Satriani's track was featured on his 2004 album Is There Love in Space?

The legal action represents the second time this year Coldplay have been accused of using another artist's melody.

Brooklyn-based indie group Creaky Boards claimed the tune of Viva La Vida is strikingly similar to that of their own track, ironically entitled The Songs I Didn't Write.

Coldplay were nominated for seven Grammy awards earlier this week, with Viva La Vida up for the Record of the Year prize.