NEW ORLEANS (CelebrityAccess) — The Rolling Stones are facing a new copyright lawsuit from a songwriter who alleges the band appropriated key elements of their song “Living in a Ghost Town” from his original works, “So Sorry” and “Seed of
god (Talent in the Trash).”
The Stones released the reggae-influenced blues rock song in the early days of the pandemic in 2020 as their first new single in more than four years and was the final (allegedly) original recording from the band to include the Stones late drummer, Charlie Watts.
The band claimed the song was based on recording sessions from 2019 that was later finished remotely after being fast tracked due to its relevance in the new era of social distancing.
The complaint, which was filed in a federal court in Louisiana on Friday on behalf of Sergio Garcia Fernandez (who performs as Angelslang), alleges that the Stones “misappropriated many of the recognizable and key protected elements of the Plaintiff’s musical works” for their own song, “Living in a ghost town.”
Key elements the Stones are alleged to have lifted from the songs Fernandez created include “vocal melodies, the chord progressions, the drum beat patterns, the harmonica parts, the electric bass line parts, the tempos, and other key signatures.”
The suit also alleges that the Stones purloined samples from Fernandez’ music and purported to author the sound recording and composition.
Fernandez originally created “So Sorry” and “Seed of God” in 2006 and registered them with the Spanish Intellectual Property Registry and Sociedad General de Autores y Editores. While both songs remain obscure, attorneys for Fernandez allege that he provided a CD containing the two songs to a family member of Mick Jagger in or around 2013.
The suit names Stones members Mick Jagger, and Keith Richards as well as Universal Music Group, BMG Rights Management, and Promopub B.V. as defendants.
In his suit, Fernandez is seeking statutory damages, an accounting in connection with the alleged illegal use, compensatory damages, for interest, prejudgment interest and post-judgment interest according to proof at trial, and legal fees.
A rep for The Rolling Stones did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
