Songwriter Accuses Muse of Copyright Theft

A songwriter has accused Muse of lifting his "cinematic science-fiction rock opera" idea for the "Exogenesis" song suite on their 2009 album Resistance, Courthouse News Service reports.

In a lawsuit filed in federal court in Manhattan, Charles Bollfrass seeks $3.5 million from Warner Music. Bollfrass contends he wrote a "cinematic science-fiction rock opera" called "Exogenesis" that he pitched to Muse and two other unnamed bands in 2005.

"The claim is complete nonsense, and is categorically denied," the band said in a statement from Warner. "It appears to be based on a 'screenplay' which the band never received or saw, produced by someone the band has never heard of. It speaks volumes that the album in question was released a full three years ago, and yet this is the first that has been heard of these groundless allegations."

Bollfrass claims his rock opera told the story of humanity's quest to save itself by exploring space as Earth breaks down. Muse's "Exogenesis" trilogy on Resistance "is the story of humanity coming to an end and everyone pinning their hopes on a group of astronauts who go out to explore space and spread humanity to another planet," according to the liner notes. Muse singer Matthew Bellamy is credited with writing "Exogenesis I," Exogenesis II" and "Exogenesis III."

Bollfrass also claims that Muse derived the cover image for Resistance from storyboards for his rock opera. His lawsuit against Warner, which released Resistance, alleges copyright infringement, unfair trade practices and unfair competition. Warner will "aggressively defend" the lawsuit, and the band "exploring what remedies may be available to them in the U.S. in relation to these untrue and baseless allegations."

Muse's new album, The 2nd Law, is due October 2nd.

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Velvet Underground Sue Andy Warhol Foundation For Copyright Infringement

The Velvet Underground have filed a lawsuit in a Manhattan federal court against the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts over the iconic banana image found on the cover of their 1967 debut album, The Velvet Underground and Nico. Band leaders Lou Reed and John Cale claim that the foundation has illegally licensed the image for use on various products, including iPad cases. According to papers filed by the musicians, Cale and Reed have accused the foundation of seeking to "deceive the public" into believing that the band have given their "sponsorship or approval" to this merchandise.

The band is seeking unspecified damages for trademark infringement and unfair competition. "Inasmuch as the Warhol Foundation has such a large number of Andy Warhol designs, all of which are presumably unique works that are highly valued in the marketplace, there would appear to be no economic need to include the banana design among the designs that defendant licenses," the court papers say.

Warhol served as the band's manager and producer, and he created the logo – which includes the phrase "peel slowly and see" - from an image of a banana taken from the public domain. Warhol was paid part of the band's label advance for the design but never copyrighted the image.

The Velvet Underground have not objected to licensing the cover image in the past. In 2001, the group licensed its use for an Absolut Vodka advertisement in which the stem of the banana was changed to look like a bottle cap for the "Absolut Underground" campaign.

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