Warner Drops DRM on Amazon

The New York Times reports that major label Warner Music Group will begin selling music on Amazon.com without copy protection software - DRM. SonyBMG is now the only hold out. Whether this policy will reach other online music retailers is not yet known. But the labels are positioning themselves to play hardball with Apple itunes.
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A Flurry of John Doe Suits

The past two days saw a "flurry" of law suits filed by major labels in Federal District Court: no less than 17 copyright infringement cases were filed against John Doe defendants and IP-addresses by, collectively -- Zomba, Atlantic, Capitol, Sony BMG, MoTown, Warner Bros. Records, Elektra, UMG, Maverick, and Arista.

Additionally, several suits were filed against actual named defendants - whom were identified by 3rd party investigators for using P2P networks at the defendant's IP-address. (e.g. case no
4:07-cv-04525)

Notably, many of the cases were filed in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, with the labels (for the most part...) represented by the SAME attorney: Jennifer K. Welsh. Talk about a pay-day! Other courts include New Hampshire, Nebraska, North Carolina, Massachusetts, and Tennessee.

Is there some sort of quota the labels fill before the end of the year?

[UNVERIFIED Case nos.: 1:2007cv00972; 4:2007cv03278; 1:2007cv00416; 5:2007cv03883; 2:2007cv05463; 2:2007cv05464; 2:2007cv05457; 2:2007cv05461; 2:2007cv05467; 2:2007cv05458; 2:2007cv05459; 2:2007cv05456; 2:2007cv05460; 2:2007cv05462; 2:2007cv05465; 2:2007cv05466; 1:2007cv00479; 3:2007cv00481; 6:2007cv00569; 4:2007cv04525; 4:2007cv04527; 4:2007cv04528. ***OTCS did not verify all case numbers; Check case files and citations before citing***]

There's Something About Remy - Which Might Cost Her Millions!

Violence in the world of hip-hop made its way to the Federal District Court, Southern District of New York with the filing of a $20 million lawsuit against Bronx-NY artist Remy Ma (and various other parties, including her label Universal). The suit alleges that defendants aided and abetted a violent promotion of the artist, leading to a violent attack (including a gun shot wound) to the plaintiff. Thereafter, defendants allegedly defamed plaintiff by accusing her of committing a crime leading to the violent/shooting incident.

Background information on the shooting-incident is available here (Wiki) and here (MTV).

The suit is mysteriously absent from Remy Ma's MySpace page - though, you can shoot her an e-mail and book her for an up-coming Bar Mitzvah...

[Makeda Barnes-Joseph v. Remy Smith pka Remy Ma; Remy K Smith pka Remy Martin; Remynisce Music Inc.; New Era Entertainment Inc.; Joseph Sherman aka Joseph Sherman; Jennifer Turner; Sure Shot Recordings Inc. aka Sure Shot Records; Chris Landry; Reach Global Inc.; Michael Closter; Street Records Corp. aka SRC; Steve Rifkind; Universal Music Group Inc.; Universal Music Investments Inc.; Universal Music Group Distribution Corp.; Douglas Morris; Universal Music Canada; Padell Nadell Fine & Wienberger LLP; Pop 3 LLC dba Pizza Bar; The Pizza Bar Inc.; Sasha Tcherekoff; Does 1-3. Filed 12/21/2007; case CV-11464 .]

Ticketmaster Takes A Blow

The Wall Street Journal reports that Ticketmaster, the concert-ticket giant, will not be resigning its deal with live-music promoter Live Nation after the 10 year agreement between the parties expires next year.

Talk about losing a big-account!

One can imagine that tension in the deal involved the fees Ticketmaster charges. But perhaps Live Nation is taking a cue from the fans - though the service Ticketmaster provides is convenient and popular, the surcharges Ticketmaster imposes are excessive. Considering concert-goers can now purchase AND PRINT tickets at home, why are there "service fees"? If the public is getting charged such fees, one can only imagine what Live Nation is getting charged.

Phil Spector Seeks Return of Legal Fees

The AP reports that Phil Spector, legendary producer and creator of the "wall of sound", is suing his former lawyer in Spector's murder trial.

Spector seeks a refund of $1mil. paid to Robert Shapiro and his firm.

Bad Bad Leroy Brown

Last week, EMI Music Publishing announced that it had acquired the exclusive North American publishing rights for the catalogue of famed singer-songwriter Jim Croce.

Roadhouse Blues

The Boss - Bruce Springsteen - and his cronies (i.e., publishers EMI, WB etc.) filed a cookie-cutter copyright infringement suit, alleging unauthorized public performance of four musical works. Defendant is the owner of the Rolling Thunder Road House Cafe, in South Carolina.

Nothing that interesting here, other than plaintiffs claim knowing and wilful infringement, based on Defendant ignoring letters from ASCAP -- but then only demand non-wilful statutory damages (i.e., $750 - $30,000). Statutory damages for wilful infringement have a maximum of $150,000. 17 U.S.C. 504(c).

[Duke of Earle et al. v. Baker, case 6:07-cv-04062-RBH (filed 12/18/2007; Dist.S.C.)]