Rock band Guns N' Roses is in legal hot water after being accused of stealing material from a German electronic music producer, reports Oren Yaniv of the New York Daily News.
A copyright infringement lawsuit filed in Manhattan Federal Court claims the song "Riad N' the Bedouins," from the group's latest album, "Chinese Democracy," used two of Ulrich Schnauss' recordings.
The suit names Geffen Records, group frontman Axl Rose and nine others who collaborated on the much-anticipated, long-delayed album that was released November 2008, 15 years after the band's last studio production.
Domino Recording Co. claims in the suit it advised Geffen on February 26th that the Guns N' Roses song steals from Schnauss' tracks "Wherever You Are" and "A Strangely Isolated Place."
The opening portion of the song contains samples of both recordings, said Brian Caplan, a lawyer for Domino.
In responding to the February letter, Geffen "attempted to explain it away," Caplan said. "They tried to justify it."
Litigation was a last resort, he added. In the requested jury trial, a music expert would have to show that the samples were "electronically copied verbatim without authorization," Caplan said.
Calls to Geffen were not returned.
The suit asks for a halt to all sales and distribution of the platinium-selling "Chinese Democracy," which sold over 3.2 million copies worldwide.
It also demands at least $1 million in compensation.
The suit is the latest chapter in the troubled history of the album, which took nearly two decades and millions of dollars to complete.
Subject: Guns N' Roses Sued For Copyright Infringement 
Tue Oct 06, 2009 1:27 pm
