10 Shameless Rock Ripoffs That Are Great
They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
Since the conception of rock n' roll, musicians have been borrowing from one another like no one's business. This shouldn't come as a surprise; the only way to innovate is for artists to pay heed to what came before, pulling inspiration from the communal pot of creativity.
There are ways of being savvy about this, however. Paying homage to the greats is a way to honour their legacy, but that doesn't mean musicians need to lean on their idols. Instead, the savvy, tend to weave recognisable and much loved sounds into new and exciting creations. But rock is rarely about being subtle.
Although these tracks are shameless in flaunting their influences, they have nevertheless found away to pull it off. Either through brilliance or by sheer charisma, these musicians have managed to stand atop the bodies of who came before; waving the flag of rock with such conviction, that fans and audience members are helpless but to rally around them with adulation.
10. Say It Ain't So - Weezer (1995)
In the early '90s Weezer proved that a bunch of nerds from California, could rock out just as hard as any mask wearing, metal-heads from Iowa. There was always something slightly tongue in cheek about these guys; their music was laced with an intrinsic humour, and if anything, the whole geek-chic thing helped with their appeal.
Their debut album was filled with amusing tracks like Buddy Holly and My Name is Jonas, but one of their more serious numbers, Say It Ain't So, bore a striking resemblance to the softly strummed, and delicately plucked chord progression from Under The Bridge.
Although the Red Hot Chili Peppers have never claimed plagiarism, the similarities are there to be noticed. Considering Under The Bridge only came out a few years prier to Weezer's track, it's fair to assume these guys took some inspiration from the textured layering, of one of John Frusciante's most recognised composition.
The similarities are so blatant, that a number of mashups exist.. , and they ain't half bad. Maybe for these two ageing bands, a collaborative album might be just the thing needed, to pump some new life into their music.