(CelebrityAccess MediaWire)–
Tom Petty has responded
to the recent suit filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court against
him and KLOS-FM disc jockey Jim Ladd over Petty's composition, "The
Last DJ," by vigorously denying the accusations in the suit.
"The lawsuit, which
does not even allege that the songs have the same or similar words or
music, will be strongly defended," says Tony Dimitriades, Petty's longtime manager. "The allegation that Tom Petty and
Jim Ladd somehow conspired to rob the plaintiff of a business
opportunity is both ludicrous and insulting."
Petty, long seen as one of the key standard bearers of integrity
in the music business, not only believes the suit is completely
without merit, but also stretches the limits of credulity. "My song, 'The Last DJ,' was written completely without any outside
influence," he says. "It is a wholly original composition. Claiming that Jim
Ladd ever gave me another piece of music or discussed the plaintiff
or his song with me in any way whatsoever is a total falsehood.
Nothing of the kind ever happened. I write my own music, and if I
collaborate with anyone, I always share the credit. It's been that
way since I began writing thirty years ago, and it will always be
that way. That's the way I work.
"To this date, I have never heard the recording the lawsuit claims
influenced my song. The plaintiff is accusing me of stealing. I do
not take kindly to such accusations, as the plaintiff and his
attorney-for-hire will find out." –Jane Cohen and Bob Grosssweiner
