Aug 22

Steve Vai Threatens Fans

English bullying, cease and desist, Copyright, English, IP, Music, Steve Vai Add Comment (1)

I just stumbled across the site GuitarBT today. The site distributes “backing tracks” submitted by users. Seems like a great idea, but obviously not quite legal when the songs are copyrighted. A backing track is simply a re-recording of a song without vocals and/or some of the instruments, in the case of GuitarBT typically without the guitar parts. Such a track is usefull for guitarists who can then instead play the guitar parts themselves, for fun and to improve their playing.

Unfortunately the site has just received a cease and desist letter from one of my favourite guitar players, Steve Vai. Well, it was from his lawyers of course but if they are acting by themselves he’s at least guilty of not keeping an eye on them.

I haven’t heard the backing tracks in question (I’m not quite ready to play Vai’s guitar parts anyway) but if they’re anything like the other tracks on the site then yes, they are most likely infringing on Vai’s copyright in the compositions. But why bother? Even if it’s suggested in the comments at GuitarBT that Vai plans to release backing tracks himself I cannot see these amateur creations (sorry guys, and remember, I haven’t heard them) competing with the real thing?