The history of rock �n� undulate is the history of mainstream stars stealing from smarter, artier outsiders. Elvis made black r & b and Southern barrelhouse palatable for white teenagers; Coldplay�s Chris Martin lifted everything he could from Radiohead�s Thom Yorke.
Because we don�t like singling one guy out for a beating, we�ve compiled a list of some of Martin�s nimble-fingered peers and the artists they got famous imitating.
The Monkees and the Beatles: Um, yeah. We�re guessing you may already be up on this ane. But did you acknowledge that Michael Nesmith started the unharmed �pop stars dating vanguard Japanese artists and alienating their fellow band members� trend? Now you fuck why Nesmith refused to take voice in the 1987 reunion - he wanted his Yoko to sing backup.
KISS and Alice Cooper: You think possibly Paul and Gene were taking notes when Alice Cooper came to town? KISS was founded on Cooper�s formula of dewy-eyed pop metal (�School�s Out,� �No More Mr. Nice Guy�) plus gruesome, theatrical stage antics. All they added was sex appeal (note: not everyone is guaranteed to find Paul Stanley�s thorax hair sexy).
Bon Jovi and Bruce Springsteen: �Tommy secondhand to work on the docks/Union�s been on strike/He�s down on his luck/It�s tough, so tough.� Sure Jon, we believe you, you don�t even own �Born in the U.S.A.�
Poison and Motley Crue: It�s disgraceful to think the Crue was original enough to rip off. But Poison took it all - from the hairspray and mascara to the one big, corny ballad per album. Oh, and the stage names: Rikki Rocket is only slightly less ridiculous than Nikki Sixx.
The Melvins and Nirvana: Kurt Cobain grew up in the Melvins� hometown, roadied for them occasionally and even auditioned for the band. Thankfully he was rejected and went on to form Nirvana. Cobain dug gobs of bands, from the Pixies to Meat Puppets, but he pilfered his best stuff from the Melvins.
Stone Temple Pilots and Pearl Jam: STP fans - and there ar plenty of them - angrily put forward the band has its own style and isaac Bashevis Singer Scott Weiland can�t avail it if his voice is a carbon copy of Eddie Vedder�s. But c�mon: Have you listened to �Plush� lately? �Nuff said.
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