Poison’s Lawyer Calls Song Theft Claims ‘Baseless Accusations’
Poison’s Lawyer Calls Song Theft Claims ‘Baseless Accusations’
October 27, 2011
Poison, one of the most successful hair metal bands of the 1980s, is striking back in response to a new lawsuit that claims four hit songs were stolen a quarter century ago from another band. A lawyer for the group led by frontman-turned-reality-TV-celebrity Bret Michaels tells The Hollywood Reporter how the rock stars intend to defeat the copyright infringement claims. Put in lyrical form, it might go like this: Every rose has its thorn, just like every claim has its dawn, just as every sleeping plaintiff sings a sad, sad song.
The insanely long-gestating lawsuit was filed last week in Illinois federal court by Billy McCarthy and James Stonich, who were members of a Chicago band known as Kid Rocker, formerly signed to Atlantic Records and a fixture on the Hollywood club scene. In court papers, McCarthy and Stonich describe auditioning future Poison guitarist C.C. DeVille in 1984, and showing him songs they allege would become the basis for later Poison hits.
Mark D. Passin, attorney for the members of the group Poison, says the claims have absolutely no merit.
“Poison will vigorously defend against the baseless accusations alleged in the complaint,” he says. “Obviously, if the Poison songs that are the subject of the complaint infringed any songs written by Plaintiffs McCarthy and Stonich they would have filed their lawsuit over 20 years ago when Poison released the albums on which the songs are embodied. It is unfortunate that success in the entertainment business often invites unmeritorious lawsuits.”
Read more about the lawsuit at www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/poison-responds-song-theft-allegations-254156.
Courtesy of www.sleazeroxx.com