LED ZEPPELIN - WEBSITE OWNER COUNTERSUES ROCK 'N' ROLL STARS

WEBSITE OWNER COUNTERSUES ROCK 'N' ROLL STARS

LATEST: Rock archive website Wolfgang's Vault is countersuing top rock 'n' roll stars LED ZEPPELIN, THE DOORS, THE GRATEFUL DEAD and CARLOS SANTANA after losing a copyright lawsuit last year (DEC06). The rockers filed a lawsuit against the internet site's owner WILLIAM SAGAN in December (06), claiming the sale of merchandise and streaming of rare concert footage violates the artists' intellectual property rights. However, Sagan has pressed legal action in a counterclaim against the musicians and their labels, Sony BMG and Warner Music Group, protesting the result of the 2006 case. The new lawsuit reads, "Far from being about bootlegging, consumer confusion or infringement of any sort, this case is actually a blatant attempt by two of the largest record labels in the world - using artists as a front - to secure new income streams and destroy a legitimate business." The suit also alleges the two record companies unsuccessfully sought to negotiate licenses to the concert footage, and when that was not possible, "conspired with each other to concoct fictitious legal claims in an effort to appropriate for themselves the use of musical recordings through an abuse of this judicial process." A trial date has not been set.