Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images; ABC/Randy HolmesA copyright infringement lawsuit was launched this week involving a number of music documentaries featuring artists including The Rolling Stones, Elton John, U2, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers and ABBA.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, a group of companies that own the rights to the music of the artists that are the subjects of the films have sued various parties associated with the docs, including U.K.-based producer Coda Publishing, distributor Vision Films and director Robert Carruthers, among others. The suit alleges that the “purported documentaries” feature copyrighted songs that were used without proper permission that the flicks “are nothing more than a delivery system for intentionally infringed materials.”
The titles of the films that are cited in the lawsuit are The Rolling Stones: Their Satanic Majesties, The Rolling Stones: Big Hits, Elton John: In Performance, U2: Phenomenon — Part 2, Lynyrd Skynyrd: Rock Case Studies, Nirvana: The Path from Incesticide to In Utero, Nirvana: The Ultimate Review, Red Hot Chili Peppers: Behind the Music, Red Hot Chili Peppers: Phenomenon and ABBA: The Gold Singles.
DVDs of the movies apparently are not currently available on Amazon but the films can still be rented or streamed via Vimeo, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The lawsuit, which was filed Monday in a New York federal court, is asking that the court rule that the defendants knowingly infringed on copyrights, that all copies of the movies be destroyed, and that damages of up to $150,000 be awarded per infringement, plus additional penalties.
The companies that launched the suit include ABKCO Records and Universal Music Corp.
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