The 1975 – “Sincerity is Scary” • Page 3

I think the worst is when people say that it’s basically a cover lol

 

The song structure is very close to the same. The rhythm is the same. Recognize being bias towards an artist you favor and shitty things people do in the music industry. They're a near mainstream pop act now, not that surprising to me that this stuff begins to happen.

Like, I will never understand making the excuse that "all art is derivative" therefore copying a famous artist to almost a fine point but changing a few things makes somebody creative. That is the death of creativity in my eyes.

 

I’m pretty good at setting my bias aside. I’m also a musician and have unintentionally written parts that sound like other songs. It fucking happens lol, it wasn’t until like a year after writing this song:

That I realized it resembled this song that I discovered around the same time:

Not only that, but my band literally sent our album to Merge records (singer’s label).

Also, upon further googling, it appears that Peter Hook (JD’s bassist) has sung the praises of the 1975 in interviews.

https://www.nme.com/news/music/pete...liam-gallagher-state-manchester-music-2167846

Peter Hook on touring, New Order and the 1975

I’m approaching this from the angle of a songwriter above the fan-angle. The chances of The 1975, a band that you’ve admittedly said is talented enough not to plagiarize, intentionally and maliciously lifting a riff from a song from an iconic album is very low. They get even lower when you realize the proximity of Peter Hook to Matty. It’s just the less likely option, and if it was an intentional/conscious decision, then I would be shocked if they didn’t run it by Peter, given the circumstances.

 

I may not pay to have my music recorded and it's never been a steady, on-going process for me, but I too write music with friends and we try to make a conscious effort not to lift parts from other band's work. I think it's too easy to say everything is derivative of something else. That's simply not true. There are amazing bands who are pioneers of their own sound and their own niches that are recognized as their own. People say everything has been done before. That's simply not the case. There are so many tunings, so many different rig set ups, so many different tools available to us. I also believe that sometimes people may write music without even realizing they're pulling something in their memory from an experience of hearing another song or something of the like. There has to be some accountability when you're writing music that is going to be heard by thousands of people who listen to the same bands that influenced you.

I also don't believe members of Joy Division liking the 1975 is a proper excuse either for lifting an exact same riff and rhythm, but playing it in a different key. It's just not something I think should be normalized in music just because more and more artists are doing it. Hell, it even comes off, to me, as depending on a younger generation to not recognize or be familiar with bands like Joy Division and what has come before so melodies and rhythms can be rehashed.

Unless JD comes forward to comment on it and say "yeah, they approached us about it" it is what it is to me. I still love a lot of what this band has done. I still believe they have a long, successful career ahead of them. This album and my experience with it so far just hasn't been like the last two at all.

 

it's probably a deliberate lift but it sounds so different in the context of the song i doubt they need to ask for it. 1975 songs are full of musical footnotes

 

also the album isn't even out yet ffs

 

If you think that I'm using "all art being derivative" as an excuse for stealing, and if you think that I'm only defending this concept because I like the 1975 then you're obviously not reading my posts. Not really worth continuing this debate.

My opinion is that sampling and similar methods to creating (within reason) are viable forms of expression and are no less valid. But again, that only relates to this situation if they lifted that riff on purpose and sought permission for it. I have no idea what their intentions were. Could've been a complete accident.

 

I wish the conversation was in person cause my wording comes off shitty and close-ended sometimes and I don’t mean to. Not my intention and I’m sorry for it.

 

We've seen legal disputes over much less similar sounding songs, so it really does come down to Joy Division's take on the situation. If it has come across their table, and they felt no type of way about it, then I guess my point really is moot. But I don't think it's been addressed on either end yet.

 

This is coming from a huge 1975 fan and isn't meant as a dig at the band, but Matty has stated several times and in varying ways that they have a list of songs they want to rip off, and that writing music is just ripping each other off. You can see this technique through their career, where songs were obviously an inspiration for them. Joy Division and Matty are friends. K peace.

 

Yup. “And this is how it starts...”

 

Are you saying this like it's a good thing to say as a musician, or like it's cool? Neither are good.

I disagree. I think plenty of others would too.

 

I'm honestly not even going to explain how I feel about the subject, I was simply letting you know what Matty has said...