"The mother of deceased Alice in Chains lead singer Layne Staley has sued her son's former bandmates, claiming they cut her out of royalties owed on the band's hits.

Staley's mother Nancy McCallum contends the surviving members of Alice in Chains owe her half of the money due Staley - about 16 percent of the hard rock band's income. According to the lawsuit, the band has attempted to cut her out of any further payments. [seattlepi {via)]

Later in the summer Alice in Chains join Jane's Addiction for a "Rockstar Energy" tour that hits CT, NJ and NY among other places. All of those dates are listed below...

Continue reading "Layne Staley's mom suing Alice in Chains (who are playing the MMRBQ w/ Soundgarden & Cheap Trick)"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Broken Water - Drown (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Broken Water - Underground (MP3)

Olympia, WA trio Broken Water released their second album, Tempest, about a year ago via Sub Pop subsidiary, Hardly Art. If you like your indie rock good and noisy, you should check out the record if you haven't already. There are two MP3s to download above and a video for "Chantal" and Spotify stream of the whole album below.

Broken Waters kick off serious North American tour tonight in Portland, OR and will make it to NYC next month for a show at The Gutter on May 20 with Lawsuits. They'll also play live the next day (5/21) on WFMU. All tour dates are listed below.

Continue reading "Olympia WA's Broken Water launch North American tour"

RZA screams "J'Accuse!!!" at Teichiku Ent. (more by Dana [distortion] Yavin)

RZA is taking a bold move of fighting back against a copyright infringement lawsuit, filing a lawsuit of his own against JVC Kenwood Holdings, which includes Teichiku Entertainment:

RZA (born Robert Diggs) is upset that the record label Island Def Jam has withheld more than $50,000 in royalties based on the claims that one of Teichiku's sound recordings was illicitly used on Kanye West's 2010 song, "Dark Fantasy," which RZA produced.

As a result, RZA is going to court to get a declaration that "Dark Fantasy" is not an infringement... According to the latest lawsuit, RZA was notified that "Dark Fantasy" contained an unauthorized sample from "Gincyo Watadori" performed by Meiko Kaji. The defendant demanded compensation.

What happened next, according to RZA's court papers, was that West's label Island Def Jam refused to pay royalties, claiming "that it is entitled to indemnification from plaintiff against defendant's copyright infringement claim."

So RZA is going to court against the accuser in an attempt to show the sampling allegation has no merit. -[Hollywood Reporter]

Yay! More lawsuits!

Don't steal our MP3s dudes

An independent record label, a foreign film company and several pornography studios have declared war on illegal file sharing in New Jersey, suing more than 12,000 people since June for allegedly using peer-to-peer networks to unlawfully distribute copyrighted material over the Internet....

...McDaniel's clients include a London-based record company, Century Media Ltd., which is suing fans of two popular metal bands for allegedly using the BitTorrent file-sharing protocol to unlawfully distribute their music online.

Two of the suits aim to halt the illicit distribution of "Dark Adrenaline," the most recent album by the Italian band Lacuna Coil. The suits collectively target 3,136 John Doe defendants.

Four similar civil complaints accuse another 4,327 unnamed file swappers of illegally distributing "Dystopia," the 2011 album by Iced Earth, a Florida-based metal band on the Century Media label.

McDaniel is also representing a German film company, Amselfilm Productions GmbH & CO. KG of Berlin, which holds the rights to the 2011 Russian movie "Bablo," or "The Dough." Three suits, filed in late June at the same time as the six Century Media cases, contend 4,654 people shared pirated copies of the film.

"Illegal downloading has reached epidemic proportions, as thousands of works are pirated on a daily basis through bit torrents that rob copyright holders of the value of their creative work," McDaniel wrote in a suit he filed last year in Newark on behalf of another German client, Baseprotect UG Ltd. [NorthJersey.com (via Pitchfork)]

Happy Speak Like a Pirate day y'all!

Next time you go, ahem, raving, make sure and stay away from the glowing green pool of water. Two women have allegedly suffered ill affects after going to Return to the Bubble Kingdom on August 4 at a Sunset Park Warehouse:

The two 19-year-old women, Rocio Marie Cabrera and Sarah Deodath of the Bronx, have now filed a lawsuit against the promoters as well as warehouse owner Atlantic Properties. It states that the organizers "dumped toxic chemicals into the large pool to alter 'the color and/or reflective properties' of the water,'" which led to the women ingesting and absorbing the "dangerous, hazardous and/or toxic chemicals." Their lawyer, Keith Sullivan, called the pool a "chemical soup." The suit states the women have been left with a "permanent reduction of visibility in both eyes."

...Another attendee at the party tells us that the pool was "the size of a typical backyard above-ground circular pool," and that "no matter how screwed up you were, it was easy to see you shouldn't go in that pool--it was filthy, the water was green, and it was leaking into the basement." She added that the pool access was only for those with the $90 VIP tickets, "but I didn't see any signs or security keeping regular ticket holders out." -[Gothamist]

The next party thrown by the Unicorn Meat gang, who put together the Return to Bubble Kingdom Party, goes down on October 27 and is called Illuminate.

This remains a legal-to-buy accessory

A judge has peeled back one of The Velvet Underground's legal claims involving the use of the band's famed banana logo.

Manhattan federal Judge Alison Nathan tossed the legendary band's request for a court order declaring that the late artistAndy Warhol's foundation doesn't hold a copyright on the iconic image.

Nathan said a promise by The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts not to sue the Velvets for using the design had "eliminated any live controversy" over the copyright.

Her ruling didn't affect three other claims filed by the band, which is seeking unspecified damages for alleged trademark infringement and a court order barring the foundation from licensing the logo. - [NY Post]

Meanwhile in less litigious VU news, John Cale's new album, Adventures in Nookie Wood, is out October 2 on Double Six/Domino and you can watch the first video from it, "Face to the Sky," below. Cale also has two musical works debuting at BAM Next Wave fest next year.

Continue reading "The Velvet Underground lose lawsuit against the Warhol estate over rights to banana image"

R.E.M., who recently described "why President Obama's vision is essential to the notion of equality and democracy in America", posted the following note today:

R.E.M.'s "Losing My Religion" was used in the Fox News coverage of the Democratic National Convention last night. R.E.M. today, through its music publisher, Warner-Tamerlane Music, demanded that Fox News cease and desist from continuing its unlicensed and unauthorized use of the song. Michael Stipe said, "We have little or no respect for their puff adder brand of reportage. Our music does not belong there."

In related news, R.E.M. recently reunited... for dinner.

by Fred Pessaro // BBG

Lord Finesse and Mac Miller react to the lawsuit

Rapper Lord Finesse says in a $10 million lawsuit that 20-year-old rap star Mac Miller ripped off his 1995 hit "Hip 2 Da Game" to launch his music career.

Lord Finesse (born Robert Hall) has been rapping since the late 1980s, and led the popular New York hip-hop crew Diggin in the Crates (D.I.T.C.), in addition to having a solo career and writing for rappers like Biggie Smalls and Dr. Dre.

In 1995, Finesse released his hit song "Hip 2 Da Game," which is the subject of his lawsuit against Mac Miller in federal court in Manhattan.
"This is a case about a teenage rapper- Mac Miller- copying the music from a song written, produced and performed by Lord Finesse, a hip hop legend, changing the title and then distributing it under his own name in order to launch his music career," the complaint states.

Mac Miller released his version of "Hip 2 Da Game" on a "mix tapes," a term used to describe free music distributed by up-and-coming rappers.

The "mix tape" strategy has been favored by many rappers and hip hop producers in recent years. Rappers often record new rhymes over the instrumental tracks of older, popular rap songs and distribute the music for free.

Finesse, whose real name is Robert Hall, sued the website DatPiff.com, which is one of the best known distributors of free mix tapes from new rappers, and Miller's label, Rostrum Records...

The mix tape was released on DatPiff in August 2010, has been downloaded more than 500,000 times and has been streamed more than 450,000 times, the lawsuit states.

The video for "Kool Aid & Frozen Pizza," which uses the beat for "Hip 2 Da Game" has been viewed nearly 24 million times on YouTube, according to the complaint.

Finesse says Miller has profited from the unauthorized use of his song.

The lawsuit cites a New York Times article from last November about Miller that explains how the alleged infringement is "part of a strategy to build a fan base." -[Courthouse News]

Mac Miller will join as support for Wiz Khalifa tour, joining names like Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q, Chiddy Bang and Chevy Woods at Jones Beach on August 2nd. Tickets are still available, if that's your sort of thing.

Full Wiz Khalifa tour dates, the offending Mac Miller song, and a palate cleanser (a sorbet scoop of classic Lord Finesse) is below.

Continue reading "Lord Finesse sues Mac Miller over use of "Hip 2 Da Game" beat"

It's official.

Dear Sabbath Fans and Fellow Musicians,

I sincerely regret to inform you that after a final effort to participate in the upcoming Sabbath shows a failure to agree has continued. At this time I have to inform you that I won't be playing with Black Sabbath at the Birmingham gig dated May 19th, 2012, nor will I be playing at Download on June 10th, 2012. Further, I will not be playing at Lollapalooza on August 3, 2012.

Continue reading "Bill Ward is officially out as drummer for at least part of the Black Sabbath tour"

by BBG

Nick Oliveri of Kyuss Lives! at Terminal 5 (more by Greg Cristman)

Looks like former Kyuss members Scott Reeder and Josh Homme aren't too pleased with the recently reformed Kyuss Lives!. Homme & Reeder have filed a lawsuit against Kyuss Lives! alleging trademark infringement and consumer fraud. Their joint statement reads:

"It sucks. To think we went to a meeting in January solely to help them with their request to continue Kyuss Lives! With open arms, we made every attempt to help them continue Kyuss Lives! respectfully. Only to discover while they looked us in the eye, Kyuss Lives! management and band had filed federal documents in 2011 in an attempt to steal the name Kyuss."
This is desperately what we were trying to avoid. It's a sad day for us and for John - but most of all for the fans. What a needless mess.

Federal prosecutors in Virginia say they have shut down one of the world's largest Internet file-sharing sites, Megaupload.com, and charged its founder and others with violating piracy laws.

An indictment accuses the company of costing copyright holders more than $500 million in lost revenue from pirated films and other content. -[New York Times]

Megupload is run by, no shit, CEO Swizz Beatz who recently helped create a video promoting the site with testimonials from the likes of Kanye West, Diddy, The Game, Ciara, and Alicia Keys. That video was controversially removed (by Universal) and then put back on YouTube in December (by Google). Universal Music Group and Megaupload are now suing each other, though it looks like that's the least of Megaupload's problems at the moment. Universal says the endorsements were "unauthorized". Watch the video in question below...

Continue reading "Megaupload shut down by the feds (not long after its public fight with Universal began)"

"Model Ann Kirsten Kennis asked a federal court in Los Angeles to dismiss the case, after she reached a settlement with Vampire Weekend and its label, XL Records. Details of the settlement were not disclosed. The case was dismissed yesterday by court order.

Kennis sued in 2010 after photographer Tod Brody licensed a Polaroid image of Kennis for use on the cover of the band's Contra album. The band also used the image to promote its Contra tour.

Brody allegedly provided the image--which was shot in the 1980s-- to Vampire Weekend with a forged model release. According to court papers, he was paid $5,000 for the image license. It is unclear who shot the image, or how Brody obtained it." [Photo District News] (via)

Raekwon at Best Buy Theater (more by Toby Tenenbaum)

Raekwon will headline Prospect Park Bandshell on Saturday (7/9 @ 7:30pm) featuring an impressive lineup of Smif-n-Wessun, Joell Ortiz, Large Professor & Neek The Exotic, and more. There is a suggested $3 donation to get in to the (free) Lyricist Lounge-sponsored Celebrate Brooklyn show.

While on the subject of Smif N Wessun, the crew joined Pete Rock in a protest earlier this week at City Hall regarding the incident following the Monumental release party at Tammany Hall. General Steele of Smif N Wessun also sat down with Planet Ill to discuss the madness:

As an artist with a socially conscious solo catalog, why was this the wrong show for the police to show out at?

General Steele: Oh yeah. Well they didn't know that; they didn't do their homework. And what I found out was after this event, after the melee they caused, they started going to clubs. I forget what the particular names of the clubs were, uh... UG Lounge, in L.E.S. [(CultureFix is one of them)] Why they would go there is beyond me, maybe they're the hub for criminals or something, but they went there asking about us. Inquiring about "what is these guys, who are they connected with? What is their real thing, what can we dig up on these guys?"

And to think about that is crazy to me.

This is our fifth album. This is our career. We just came from Norway. Before that we was in Czechoslovakia, before that we was in Poland. We do this for a living. Rap is not the side gig.

Nas more recently teamed with Common for "Ghetto Dreams" from Com's forthcoming Warner Brothers release The Dreamer, The Believer. The just-released track can be streamed below and bought on iTunes.

AS announced, Nas and Damian Marley play Central Park Summerstage on 8/11. The show is still happening and tickets are still on sale, though the pair's show at Merriweather Post Pavilion (outside of DC) with The Roots, Chuck Brown and others has been cancelled. Chuck Brown however is also coming to NYC for some shows including one on the same stage Raekwon is playing this weekend in Prospect Park.

And last but certainly not least, Raekwon's partner in crime Ghostface Killah has a bit of legal trouble on his hands all of a sudden over his classic 2000 LP Supreme Clientele.

Hollywood composer Jack Urbont is suing Sony Music Entertainment and Ghostface Killah for illegally sampling his "Iron Man Theme," originally created for the 1960s television show, The Marvel Super Heroes.

Urbont is a veteran actor and producer on Broadway as well as the creator of theme music for Guiding Light, One Life to Live, General Hospital, as well as music for That 70's Show, Oprah, 20/20 and The View. He earned an Emmy for Lorne Greene's New Wilderness and won BMI's TV/Film Pioneer award in 1986.

... According to the complaint: "Defendant Ghostface is also known for the nickname, 'Tony Starks,' which is a take-off of the name 'Tony Stark,' Iron Man's real name and true identity. In this way, Defendants' use of Urbont's 'Iron Man Theme' gives them a substantial commercial advantage by linking Ghostface to Iron Man without paying for it." -[Hollywood Reporter]

Videos & song streams below.

Continue reading "Smif-n-Wessun speak on the cop incident, playing Brooklyn w/ Raekwon (who's working w/ Nas who's working w/ Common)"

the concerts will be at Surf Ave & 21st St

"Earlier this month, Brooklyn music fans were disappointed to hear that, in the middle of a legal wrangle involving noise complaints, the city Corporation Councel ordered that Borough President Marty Markowitz can no longer use Asser Levy Park for his well-known summer concert series.

Monday, however, that situation was resolved, at least temporarily. Markowitz and Seaside Summer Concert Series Executive Director Debra Garcia announced that the series will be held this year at an empty lot on West 21st Street in Coney Island, the former site of the Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus.

"We could not have done this without the great team at Taconic Investment Partners, who own the site that will host the shows. Their generosity and hard work were instrumental in making sure that the shows will go on this summer in Coney Island," said Garcia and Markowitz in a joint statement.

The weekly shows will begin in July, although the lineup has not yet been announced." [Brooklyn Eagle]

"Are we happy or sad if exit through the gift shop wins? #obeygiant" - Shepard Fairey

"Earlier [in January] I noted that Banksy had finally spoken about the artist Thierry Guetta (aka Mr. Brainwash) profiled in his now Oscar nominated film Exit Through the Gift Shop . Still, suspicions run fairly rampant that he either doesn't exist or is merely the latest prank creation by Banksy. Guetta has now given sworn statements that the artwork is his own, as he's the subject of a copyright lawsuit initiated by photographer Glen E. Friedman. The two Run DMC images above should make that fairly obvious (as well as several others after the jump).

Friedman is arguing that Guetta used, without credit or permission, his iconic photo of Run DMC on invitations, artworks, merchandise and promotional materials. The Hollywood Reporter broke this story, connected some of the dots between many of the people involved, and then suggested it's basically the same situation as the Associated Press vs. Shepard Fairey case surrounding the Obama 'Hope' image. It's not, and for number of reasons which I'll get to in a second..." [Boing Boing]

That said, the real human who is known as Mr. Brainwash made an appearance Saturday at the Independent Spirit Awards where "Exit" won best documentary, and he will be at the Oscars, but the LA Times says...

The big question as of Sunday morning remained whether Banksy himself would show up to the Oscars. On the red carpet before the [Independent Spirit Awards], Guetta engaged in some playfulness. "We'll see. This is like the movie: Can we explain the movie? No. Can we know that the movie is real or not? No. Can we know if he's going to show up? I don't know."

But then he also said that, indeed, he and the reclusive street artist could have a plan. "Maybe, maybe not. I don't know," he said, offering a coy smile.

By the way, Exit Through the Gift Shop is on Netflix on-demand.

The Washington Post talked to Thierry on the ISA red carpet too. That interview and other videos (including Exit Through The Pet Shop), below....

Continue reading "Mr. Brainwash (possibly real) being sued, was at Independent Spirit Awards, will be at the Oscars (but will Banksy?)"

words & photos by Tracy Allison

"Just remembered I threw up at bruar falls last night." - WAVVES

"Monday night at New York City's Bowery Ballroom, the Wavves founder and frontman announced he'd just been "mildly sued" by the Walt Disney Company, which was less than psyched about seeing a song called 'Mickey Mouse' listed on his band's latest album.

Williams said he'd agreed to modify future pressings of 'King of the Beach,' out today on CD and vinyl, and replace the offending track with an unreleased B-side. He then offered a succinct legal critique of the plaintiff's case.

"Walt Disney was a Nazi," Williams said. "You go [to Disney World], you feel Nazi vibes. It's disgusting!"

The outburst was one of many quotable moments of the concert, and throughout the evening, Williams and drummer Billy Hayes spent nearly as much time joking about booze and weed as they did playing actual songs. With the presence of soft-spoken metal-dude bassist Stephen Pope, Wavves was like a Kevin Smith movie come to life: two Jays and a Silent Bob." [Spinner]

The night began with a 30 minute set by Total Slacker who took the stage at 8:15. They were followed by The Smith Westerns who also played a 30 minute set as the crowd quickly began to fill the 550+ person venue.

Wavves began their set at 10:20 p.m. and immediately after walking on stage commented on the thick smell of drugs in the air, saying, "It smells like pot out here. It smells like a lot of pot." Throughout the course of the 14 song performance, the rambunctious audience thrashed into each other and danced wildly. The level of audience interaction was much like it was at Wavves' recent show at Knitting Factory- fans freely jumped on and off stage, and bassist Stephen Pope even offered an audience member a swig of whiskey after asking, "Are you cool? You can have some if you're cool." The band finished up their set by 11:20 p.m.

They then headed to Bruar Falls for puking, peeing in garbage cans, sparring with Black Lips, playing video games, etc... More pictures and Wavves' setlist from Bowery Ballroom below...

Continue reading "Wavves being 'sued' by Disney, played Bowery Ballroom before puking @ Bruar Falls (pics & setlist), playing MHOW "

As you probably know, Vampire Weekend's record label XL Recordings is being sued along with the band and a photographer for the use of a photo on the cover of Vampire Weekend's new album Contra. The label just issued the following statement:

"As is standard practice, Vampire Weekend and XL Recordings licensed the rights to use the photo on the cover of Contra pursuant to a license agreement that contains representations and warranties authorizing this use of the photo. Now that a lawsuit has been filed, we look forward to having the matter resolved in Court. We will be filing our response after we have had an opportunity to review the allegations. Consistent with our practice, we will not be commenting further about the pending litigation at this time."

Continue reading "XL issues 'Contra' statement, Ann Kennis says mom took pic"

You may have heard by now that Vampire Weekend, XL Recordings and a photographer named Tod Brody are being sued for 2 million dollars by Contra cover model Kirsten Kennis. She claims that she never gave permission for them to use a picture that was taken of her in 1983 (back when she was actually a model), and that the photographer basically tricked the band and label into thinking they were buying it legally. She says the band and label are also at fault for not doing due diligence when they paid $5000 for the picture from Tod. She thinks she deserves 2 million because her picture was obviously the reason the band's album was so successful... That's basically the info that most sites are posting, but I obtained a copy of the court documents and there's more...

First of all, her full name is Ann Kirsten Kennis, though when she was a model she just went by "Kirsten". She was a "high-fashion model under contract with prestigious agencies in New York City" in the 80's and early 90's. Her picture has appeared in clothing, jewelry, cosmetics and automobile ads, and for that she was "highly compensated" and "enjoyed numerous assignments".

She lives in Fairfield, CT, and most interestingly, she claims Tod didn't even take the picture. Her real last name doesn't even appear in the contract Vampire Weekend signed when they bought it. The allegedly forged/fake contract is with "Kirsten Johnsen" and signed by "Kirsten Johnson" (yes, the document has the last name spelled two different ways).

If Tod didn't take the picture, I'm not sure how he thought he would get away with it since she would obviously eventually see it. Whether he took it or not, it's still displayed in his portfolio (with "kirsten" in the file name), though his page that displayed the Vampire Weekend album cover is now gone.

Not content with all that, I went on a search for another picture of Kirsten, but unfortunately I came up dry though I do think I found a picture of her dog, and what might be her not-quite-operational "Cosmic Cubs" teddy bear website (which would be consistent with the possibility that her family is in the toy business). It's also possible that back before she was married, her name may have been Ann Klendshoj which is the name of someone who had a nasty run in with a creepy doctor in 1994. Speaking of creepy, I'll end this paragraph here.

Rostam from Vampire Weekend, Kid Cudi & Bethany of Best Coast made a new song for Converse. The video for that track, "All Summer", is below...

Continue reading "Who is Ann Kirsten Kennis? (besides the Contra album cover model suing Vampire Weekend, XL & photographer Tod Brody)"

by BBG

Would you confuse these two men?

California ex-drug kingpin Ricky "Freeway" Ross filed a trademark lawsuit against rapper Rick Ross in a California Federal Court on Friday June 18. According to the Miami New Times blog, Ross is suing the rapper for stealing his name, image and likeness to create a successful rap career. ...Ross and his lawyer Melvin Sharpe Jr. are also suing Maybach Music -- rapper Rick Ross' label -- Universal Music Group Recordings, Slip-N-Slide Records -- the independent label the rapper first signed to before signing to a major -- and Jay-Z, who was President of Def Jam Records when rapper Rick Ross signed to the label in 2006. - [Billboard]

Maybe "Freeway" Ricky Ross is trying to get at the dough that the Miami MC will make at the Power 105.1 show at The Beach at Governor's Island on August 22nd. There, the former prison guard (named after a drug dealer?) will join up with Diddy & Dirty Money, Ciara, Kelly Rowland, Keri Hilson, Bobby Valentino, Fat Joe, Maino, and others. Tickets are on sale at noon today (7/2).

Also on board is Jay-Z prodigy J Cole, who recently released a new video for "Who Dat" available below. The MC will drop his as-yet untitled Roc Nation debut this October, which features contributions from Pharrell, Jim Jonsin, and Salaam Remi though the bulk of the production was handled by Chicago producer (and Kanye West mentor) No I.D.. Look for that.

That J Cole video, as well as a few others are below...

Continue reading "drug kingpin Ricky Ross suing rapper Rick Ross (who is playing Governors Island w/ J Cole, Diddy & Dirty Money, more)"

Marty Markowitz @ the 2010 Mermaid Parade (more by Chris La Putt)

Local synagogues and worshipers filed a lawsuit filed today that threatens to pull the plug on Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz's longtime Coney Island summer concert series - along with his $64 million plan to expand them with a new amphitheater.

The suit, filed in Brooklyn Supreme Court, contends that the existing series violate a city law prohibiting amplified sound within 500 feet of religious institutions when they are in session. It seeks a court order to block future concerts.

Two synagogues -- Sea Breeze Jewish Center and Temple Beth Abraham - are across the street and about 300 feet away from the existing band shell used for concerts at Asser Levy Park. Both say they host services daily.

The seaside concert series is set to kick off its 32nd year of free shows - the 20th at Asser Levy - on July 15 with performances by Neil Sedaka and Brenda Lee.

For decades, no one challenged the concerts, but now the synagogues and many Brighton Beach residents who reside in the high-rises next to Asser Levy Park are furious over the Beep's plan to expand the shows with a new 8,000-seat amphitheater. [NY Post] (thx CJ)

Continue reading "local synagogues suing to try & stop Coney Island concerts "

David Byrne is suing the governor of Florida, alleging that he used the Talking Heads' 1985 single "Road to Nowhere" without permission or proper licenses.

Byrne is seeking $1 million in damages from Gov. Charlie Crist, who's also Florida's former Attorney General, and his senatorial campaign for use of the song earlier this year in a website and YouTube ad attacking his then-Republican primary opponent, Marco Rubio. Crist has since changed his campaign and is running as an independent candidate. [Billboard]

Former GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Slash has commented on the countersuit filed by his former GN'R bandmate, Axl Rose, against the singer's former manager, Irving Azoff, claiming that Azoff tried to bully Rose into doing a reunion tour with the original GUNS lineup.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Rose claims in his suit that Azoff did everything he could to sabotage the current version of GUNS after Rose said no to the reunion idea last year, alleging that Azoff tried "devising and implementing a secret plan to set up Rose and the band for failure so that Rose would have no choice but to reunite with the original GUNS N' ROSES members."

Rose's suit adds, "Upon realizing that he couldn't bully Rose and accomplish his scheme, Azoff resigned and abandoned GUNS N' ROSES on the eve of a major tour, filing suit for commissions he didn't earn and had no right to receive."

The claim also added that Azoff, in his own lawsuit, deliberately used Rose's real name, William Bailey, because it "carries significant emotional damage from Rose's childhood."

Speaking to VH1 Radio Networks' Dave Basner, Slash stated about Rose's countersuit, "I don't even know what that's about. I don't know where Axl is coming from. I mean, I know where Irving is coming from -- he's looking for commissions for a tour that he booked. [It's a] pretty reasonable kind of thing. Axl's countersuing, so I'm not sure exactly what the merit is that he's countersuing, exactly. Anyways, I don't keep up with that, I don't follow it." [Blabbermouth]

a letter posted on Jonah's website...

Right after Jennifer Lopez played on SNL a little while ago, I [Jonah Matranga] got a bunch of messages from people saying she'd used the heart/question mark image that I've been using for many years. Lots of you said I should sue to stop ol' J-Lo from using it further or whatever. I thought it was kind of a bummer that she used it, but pretty funny overall. Mostly, I didn't think that I would have the money or time to deal with whatever high-powered management and lawyers J-Lo has, so I kinda wrote it off as one of those weird things that happens.

Then, a friend who knows about Intellectual Property law got in touch and said I actually do have a valid case. It turns out her new album will be called 'Love?', so it seems like the image might be used by her a whole lot more. When I think about it, I would rather that she didn't use this image that I've come to enjoy so much. I have it on so many albums, posters, shirts. I draw it when I sign stuff for people, I have a tattoo of it, many of you do as well. I'm not sure what the image means to you, but it has come to mean many things to me over the years. One of those things is simply, 'I love ideas'. Anyway, I asked some lawyer friends about what I could do to stop her. I'm putting some stuff together (album covers, etc) to show that I'm a legitimate artist whose art, image and community she'd be messing with.

Here's where you come in: I've also been told that you can help out by sending photos of ways you've used the image in your life, after you found it through my music. So, if you have a tattoo of it, or you've made drawings of it, or you have anything at all that shows the many ways the little heartquestion has gotten out there, I'd love to see it, and so would the lawyers. You can post your pics (or links to them) here, or send them via any number of internetty ways, or just mail 'em to me.

I have no idea what will happen from all this, but it seems as good an excuse as any to gather this stuff together and remember the power and fun of making stuff and putting it out into the world.

Please pass this on to anyone who might be interested.

Thanks always,

Jonah

As one of the self-proclaimed pioneers of stage-diving, Fishbone front man Angelo "Dr. Madd Vibe" Moore has been perfecting his form for more than 25 years.

But his diving produced an unwilling ripple in his human sea while the band performed last month at the World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St.

On Friday, a woman who was at that show filed a lawsuit against Moore, charging that he broke her collarbone when he launched off the stage onto the outstretched hands of the audience. Kimberly Myers, 42, of Voorhees, N.J., claims in the suit that she attended Fishbone's Feb. 23 show at the World Cafe's downstairs stage and that "without any warning," Moore dived off the stage and into the audience near where she was standing.

The suit claims that she also suffered a fractured skull, perforated eardrum and hearing loss and that she had to be taken from the venue by an ambulance. [Philly Daily News]

The city will pay $1.25 million to a man who spent 14 years behind bars before being cleared in the notorious murder of a bouncer at the former Palladium nightclub.

A Manhattan federal judge yesterday signed off on the deal with David Lemus, who had filed a $50 million suit against the cops and prosecutors who locked him up for the 1990 shooting.

Lemus, 40, and another man, Olmedo Hidalgo, were found guilty in 1992, but their convictions were overturned in 2005 after evidence surfaced tying two other men to the killing of Marcus Peterson outside the East 14th Street hot spot.

All charges were dropped against Hidalgo, who was deported to the Dominican Republic. Lemus, who now lives in Florida, was acquitted after a 2007 retrial.

"No amount of money can fairly compensate Mr. Lemus for spending his youth being shuffled from prison to prison," said his lawyer," Steven Schiesel. [NY Post]