Slash, Duff Sue Axl Over Guns N' Roses Publishing Royalties

[lennonisgod]

From mtv.com/News

Slash, Duff Sue Axl Over Guns N' Roses Publishing Royalties
08.22.2005 5:42 PM EDT

They say he sold the rights without their consent and is pocketing the profit.

It's been over a decade since the original members of Guns N' Roses went their separate ways, but their feud is still going strong.

Slash and Duff McKagan filed a federal lawsuit in Los Angeles on Wednesday against Axl Rose, accusing the GN'R frontman of changing the publisher of the group's copyrighted songs without their consent and pocketing the royalties.

The lawsuit follows Rose's multimillion-dollar publishing deal with Sanctuary earlier this year, in which he sold the publishing rights to the GN'R back catalog. "Suffering an apparent attack of arrogance and ego ... Rose recently decided that he is no longer willing to acknowledge the contributions of his former partners and bandmates in having created some of rock's greatest hits," the lawsuit reads.

Though the Sanctuary deal was reported on by the press, Slash and Duff claim they weren't aware of the scope of Rose's dealings ? which they say he "omitted and concealed" ? until their expected royalty payments for the first quarter of 2005 didn't arrive in the mail. "When the ASCAP check didn't come, we called and they looked into it," McKagan's lawyer, Glen Miskel, said. "We didn't know all the facts at first."

Miskel said that only last week did they discover that Rose had notified ASCAP on or around May 26 that he was switching over the publishing from Guns N' Roses to Black Frog Music Publishing (which he owns) and Kobalt Songs Music Publishing (which is a joint venture with and handles the administration of Sanctuary's publishing). Consequently, the ASCAP check for the first quarter of 2005 ? some $92,000 ? went to Rose and "his accomplices" instead, the lawsuit contends.

"Rose's actions were malicious, fraudulent and oppressive, and undertaken in conscious disregard of [Slash and Duff's] property rights," the lawsuit reads. They're seeking damages for fraud, copyright infringement and breach of fiduciary duty, among other things.

Sanctuary didn't return calls for comment.

[MikeB]

Can't we all just get along?

[killingvector]

why would they be pissed that he sold his share of the publishing rights as well as his future rights to the music that he owns?

Slash and Duff need to move on.

[killingvector]

Miskel said that only last week did they discover that Rose had notified ASCAP on or around May 26 that he was switching over the publishing from Guns N' Roses to Black Frog Music Publishing (which he owns) and Kobalt Songs Music Publishing (which is a joint venture with and handles the administration of Sanctuary's publishing). Consequently, the ASCAP check for the first quarter of 2005 ? some $92,000 ? went to Rose and "his accomplices" instead, the lawsuit contends.

Jesus, I pray to god he didn't do this.

[axl1962]

Axl needs stop being so spiteful towards the former members.  I can understand Axl going out and getting a better publishing deal, but to not inform Slash and Duff is just wrong.  Their contributions to the music are undeniable and need to be rewarded.

[MikeB]

Slash and Duff need to move on.

or reunite with Axl. But yeah he should've informed them.

[jarmo]

Miskel said that only last week did they discover that Rose had notified ASCAP on or around May 26 that he was switching over the publishing from Guns N' Roses to Black Frog Music Publishing (which he owns) and Kobalt Songs Music Publishing (which is a joint venture with and handles the administration of Sanctuary's publishing). Consequently, the ASCAP check for the first quarter of 2005 ? some $92,000 ? went to Rose and "his accomplices" instead, the lawsuit contends.

Jesus, I pray to god he didn't do this.

Seems like ASCAP now lists Black Frog Music and Kobalt Songs Music Publishing instead of Guns N' Roses Music.


The song writing credits haven't been changed.



You might also like to know that in the Live Era booklet you can read:
Project coordination Del James for Black Frog Ent





/jarmo

[lennonisgod]

Axl needs stop being so spiteful towards the former members.  I can understand Axl going out and getting a better publishing deal, but to not inform Slash and Duff is just wrong.  Their contributions to the music are undeniable and need to be rewarded.

I can't believe that Izzy wouldn't want to get involved.  He one of the most important members back when he was in the band.  He probably just doesn't want anything at all to do with Axl. 

[killingvector]

Miskel said that only last week did they discover that Rose had notified ASCAP on or around May 26 that he was switching over the publishing from Guns N' Roses to Black Frog Music Publishing (which he owns) and Kobalt Songs Music Publishing (which is a joint venture with and handles the administration of Sanctuary's publishing). Consequently, the ASCAP check for the first quarter of 2005 ? some $92,000 ? went to Rose and "his accomplices" instead, the lawsuit contends.

Jesus, I pray to god he didn't do this.

Seems like ASCAP now lists Black Frog Music and Kobalt Songs Music Publishing instead of Guns N' Roses Music.


The song writing credits haven't been changed.



You might also like to know that in the Live Era booklet you can read:
Project coordination Del James for Black Frog Ent





/jarmo

He needed to pay them. If he took their money, god help him.

[dave-gnfnr2k]

If  the checks are not in the mail or this is a mix up we can kiss 2005 good  bye.

[jabba2]

This dont look good for the immediate future of GNR. More court woes, and this time it looks like trouble. They could countersue for even more damages.

[fesxine]

no wonder their is no sign of chinese democracy Axl's too busy screwing former band members.

[Smoking Guns]

If anyone says Axl doesn't need the money, or doesn't do this for the money, here is your example of this selfish fock in action. ?$92,000, dam, that is a lot of money for just three months...... ?He now has zero motivation to release an album. ?Why should he? ?Now he can just go a way a legend not really focking up. ?If he releases a bomb, then he will always be remembered for that last album. ?He is way to insecure for that. ?Slash and Duff would have gotten back with him because they could have fixed the past. ?But stealing from the guys that helped make you big.............that may never be fixed.

[killingvector]

Is it possible this is the fault of the publishing company? Maybe since it was the first quarter of the new contract, they screwed up to whom the checks were sent?

Slash and Duff would have to prove that Axl directed all the funds to his own account.

[chineseblues]

There is always 2 sides to EVERY story. Why all of a sudden are they filing a lawsuit over this when the publishing deal happened months ago?

[Falcon]

There is always 2 sides to EVERY story. Why all of a sudden are they filing a lawsuit over this when the publishing deal happened months ago?

Because royalty checks weren't delivered in a timely manner...

But yes, there are 2 sides.  For all we know, this could have been a logistical oversight and in no way
a calculated move to deprive former members of their cash.

[killingvector]

There is always 2 sides to EVERY story. Why all of a sudden are they filing a lawsuit over this when the publishing deal happened months ago?

i think it was because their royalty checks didn't come.

[chineseblues]

Yes but they would have known before now that they were gonna get checks. I mean the check was suppose to be for the first 3 months of 2005, so they should have known by May that they weren't gonna get anything, so why wait till almost the end of Aughust to file a lawsuit.....

[nesquick]

chinese Democracy really needs to come out...let's just end with those lawsuits. Americans are nuts sometimes with their non-stop lawsuits.

[Eric]

I would love to hear Sanctuary's response, but I have a feeling we will get a generic "truth will come out in court" response.