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Weezer: The Beer Lawsuit

by Natalie Finn

Oct 2, 2006, 7:45 PM PT

 

Divided they stand, together they sue.

 

Looking for a cure for what ales them, the apparently still-together members of Weezer sued Miller Brewing Co. Friday, accusing the Milwaukee-based institution of unlawfully using the band's image in a series of print ads to promote beer and other alcoholic beverages.

 

According to the alt-rock quartet's complaint, the three ads that showed up in 2004 on the pages of Rolling Stone misappropriated the band's name and image by stating that Weezer--along with "other bands and musical performers with whom [Weezer] do not wish to be associated in any advertisement"--endorsed Miller products.

 

Not wanting anyone to destroy their sweater or their image, Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo, drummer Patrick Wilson, guitarist Brian Bell and bassist Scott Shriner are seeking actual damages (they feel the misappropriation of their good name has cost them millions); all profits received by Miller and fellow defendants from the ads in question; punitive damages amounting to three times either the actual damages or the defendants' profits, whichever is higher; and an injunction against any further use of the band's image.

 

Weezer has also targeted marketing firm Young & Rubicam and production company Giannini Creative Imaging in the lawsuit.

 

Although following the platinum-level success of 2005's Make Believe Cuomo told MTV News in July that Weezer's latest break may be a break-up, an Aug. 12 posting on the band's Website referred to the members' current state as "one of positivity and growth."

 

"Now please, take those 'Weezer split?' headlines and place them firmly into the 'Don't believe the hype' bin," read the site a week later. As of last weekend, a live DVD project was on hold, however, and while cover art has been created for a greatest-hits album, no new songs have been recorded yet. "It if happens, it will definitely have some new tracks," the band said, adding that Cuomo has been working on some fresh material.

 

Meanwhile, the rest of the Maladroit boys are keeping busy while Cuomo cleanses his aura and enjoys married life after almost three years of self-imposed celibacy (he tied the knot with Kyoko Ito in June).

 

Bell and Wilson went retro to play Lou Reed and John Cale in the upcoming Edie Sedgwick biopic Factory Girl, starring Sienna Miller as the Andy Warhol muse. The Weezer mates also recorded a cover of Velvet Underground's "Heroin" for the film's soundtrack.

 

Wilson has a side band, too--The Special Goodness, with The Offspring drummer Atom Willard--and Bell fronts his own group, Space Twins, as well.

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Beyonce Cleared of Song Infringement

TUESDAY OCTOBER 03, 2006 07:45AM EST

By Stephen M. Silverman

 

Beyonce Knowles is in the clear after a Houston federal judge threw out a copyright infringement lawsuit filed against her by a Minneapolis singer-songwriter.

 

Claiming that the R&B star's 2003 hit song "Baby Boy," from Knowles' Grammy-winning album Dangerously in Love, took lyrics from her own song, "Got a Little Bit of Love For You," Jennifer Armour sued Knowles last year, reports the Associated Press,

 

Armour claimed her former manager provided demo recordings of her work to Columbia Records and Atlantic Recording Corporations, the record labels for Knowles and Sean Paul, who is also featured in "Baby Boy."

 

However, after comparing the two songs side by side, the court found that the songs in question were "substantially dissimilar."

 

"It's unfortunate that lawsuits such as this one occur, but I am grateful and relieved to have this behind me and I am eager to move on," Knowles, a Houston native, said in a statement issued by her father's music management company, Music World Entertainment.

 

AP could not reach Armour for comment.

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Olivia Newton-John Sues Over Grease Royalties

WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 06, 2006 08:10AM EST

By Stephen M. Silverman, People.com

 

Olivia Newton-John is suing Universal Music Group Inc. over royalties from the soundtrack to the 1978 movie Grease, in which she played the virginal Sandy opposite John Travolta's bad boy Danny.

 

Newton-John's attorney, John Mason, told the Associated Press that the company paid the Australian actress-singer, 58, some royalties, but failed to make other contractual payments.

 

The breach-of-contract suit filed Friday in Los Angeles County Superior Court alleges that, per a recent audit, Universal owes more than $1 million to Newton-John's company, ON-J Productions, Ltd.

 

In a statement Tuesday, Universal said, "The lawsuit is without merit and, at the appropriate time, we expect that the court will dismiss it."

 

Newton's John's most recent album, September's Grace and Gratitude, came after the one-year anniversary of her boyfriend Patrick McDermott's disappearance at sea.

 

"It's been a difficult year and this music I've been creating has really been part of my healing," she told PEOPLE. "The whole CD is a spiritual type of journey."

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LaBelle Pushes Cancel Button

Posted Dec 18th 2006 6:12PM by TMZ Staff

 

Lady Marmalade didn't want to get in a jam.

 

Patti LaBelle pulled the plug on her sold-out "Gospel According to Patti" mega-church tour, citing inconsistencies, breach of contract and failed obligations of the promoter -- leaving disappointed fans in Philadelphia, Cleveland, St. Louis and elsewhere.

 

"I really had hoped to continue to reach the gospel audience ... but I have an obligation to my staff to make sure they can keep their plans without last minute changes and to make sure they are paid for the work they do," said the OneTouch spokeswoman and long-nailed warbler. Good lookin' out, Patti.

 

Patti is hoping that they can find another promoter to handle the tour. Her CD, The Gospel According to Patti LaBelle, is #1 on the Billboard Gospel chart.

 

TMZ contacted the promoter, Impact Strategies of Washington, D.C. Our calls have not yet been returned.

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Organist Gets 40% Credit for Procol Harum’s “Whiter Shade”

Law Blog -- WSJ.com

Posted by Peter Lattman

December 21, 2006, 8:28 am

 

Last month, in “One-Hit Wonders & the Law,” we reported on a lawsuit involving Procol Harum’s “A Whiter Shade of Pale,” a song branded on our brains thanks largely to the “Big Chill” soundtrack. The song has sold 10 million copies world-wide.

 

Yesterday, London’s high court awarded Matthew Fisher, the band’s former organist, 40% of the song’s future earnings, reported Reuters. The judge seemed to enjoy Fisher’s haunting keyboards: “I find that the organ solo is a distinctive and significant contribution to the overall composition and, quite obviously, the product of skill and labor on the part of the person who created it.” The judge dismissed Fisher’s claim to past royalties because he had “sat back” for nearly 40 years before asserting his claim.

 

Until now, credit had gone to the band’s lead singer Gary Brooker and lyricist Keith Reid. On the Procol Harum Web site, which has pictures of the litigants, Brooker says he’s “shocked and dismayed” by the claim. “‘A Whiter Shade Of Pale’ was written by Keith Reid and me before Matthew even joined the band,” he says. They said yesterday that they will appeal the ruling.

 

YouTube Video of the Day: Procol Harum, in all its glory, skipping the light fandango. Click here and enjoy.

Edited by Cutielb99

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Beach Boys Booted Out of Court

Posted Dec 27th 2006 3:44PM by TMZ Staff

 

Wouldn't it be nice if you could wake up ... and find out that a crazy judge didn't pull the rug out from under you?

 

The Beach Boys just learned a hard lesson about the American justice system. TMZ has learned that on December 11, Danny Morin, the lawyer from Brother Records Inc. (The Beach Boys' company), showed up 13 minutes late for a court hearing in Los Angeles Federal Court. Judge Manuel Real, legendary for his explosive tirades, sent some seriously bad vibrations through the courtoom by dismissing The Beach Boys' case.

 

Brother Records Inc. filed the lawsuit last January, seeking $20 million in damages from two men who allegedly stole a treasure trove of band memorabilia from a North Hollywood warehouse. The band claimed that Allan Gaba, owner of the warehouse, and his friend Roy Sciacca, pilfered such items as Brian Wilson and Mike Love's contract for the song, "Do It Again," photos of the band with George Harrison, and original music compositions.

 

The hearing on December 11 was a final pre-trial conference, the last stage before trial. Even though Attorney Morin's office made several calls to the clerk advising that the mouthpiece would be a bit late, it didn't sit well with Judge Real. We're told The Beach Boys are none too pleased, and Morin is asking the judge to reconsider. Don't count on it.

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TONI'S SOUR NOTE

Page Six

 

January 13, 2007 -- TONI Braxton was duped out of more than $10 million by a manager who trashed the Grammy-winning diva's career by tricking her into recording exclusively with him, a federal lawsuit alleges. Braxton claims Barry Hankerson used "fraud, deception and double-dealing" to get her to leave a lucrative deal with Arista Records and sign exclusively with his Blackground Records in 2003. The suit says Hankerson destroyed Braxton's relationship with Arista through "underhanded double-talk" - secretly telling each party that the other wanted to part ways - despite having sold at least 20 million albums together. Hankerson could not be reached for comment.

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Tom Waits Revs Down Lawsuit

by Gina Serpe

Thu, 25 Jan 2007 03:50:00 PM PST

 

If only they went with the Hasselhoff instead...

 

Tom Waits has settled a lawsuit filed against the German division of General Motors and its ad agency, which he accused of hijacking his trademark sound for a series of overseas car commercials.

 

The suit, filed in September 2005 in Frankfurt, named the auto manufacturer's Opel unit and the McCann Erickson agency for using what he deemed a "perfect impersonation" of his distinctive growl in a series of ads earlier that year. Waits claimed that commercials featuring the eerily similar voice-for-hire appeared after he rejected a series of offers from the car company to help shill their product.

 

The 57-year-old singer sought damages and "ill-gotten gains" in his original suit, and also requested profits the carmaker and agency reaped from the ads—which aired in Germany, Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Norway—for violating his personality rights.

 

Waits and GM announced the settlement in a joint press release Thursday. Financial terms were not disclosed, but Waits said he would be donating his share to charity.

 

"I'm glad to be out of the car sales business once and for all," he said.

 

McCann Erickson, meanwhile, issued a public statement of apology, saying they "respect Mr. Waits, and deeply regret any embarrassment this may have caused."

 

The agency had originally claimed that the Frankfurt-based singer used in the ads had simply offered them a "rough voice interpretation" and had not been instructed to mimic either Waits or any other singer. McCann also insisted that Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler was the only American singer approached for the gig.

 

Waits has a history of siccing his legal dogs on advertisers. In 1992, he took Frito-Lay to court, accusing the potato chip purveyor of ripping off his voice for a Doritos ad, and was awarded $2.5 million. He also filed similar suits against Audi and Italian carmaker Lancia.

 

"Commercials are an unnatural use of my work," Waits said after fans alerted him to the ads in 2005. "It's like having a cow's udder sewn to the side of my face. Painful and humiliating."

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Apple, Beatles resolve dispute

Trademark battle comes to an end

By PHIL GALLO

 

After nearly two decades of discord, the Beatles and Apple computers are singing the same song: "We Can Work It Out."

 

Apple Corps, the record company the Beatles founded in 1968, and Apple, the Cupertino computer company, reached an accord that gives the latter ownership of the name and the apple logo.

 

Apple will license certain trademarks back to Apple Corps. Financial terms were not disclosed.

 

Deal naturally opens the door to make Beatles music -- the holy grail of pop -- available via Apple's online iTunes store. While members of the Beatles have OK'd the sale of solo work, the Beatles catalog has remained offline.

 

Apple CEO Steve Jobs said in a statement, "It has been painful being at odds with (the Beatles) over these trademarks." The resolution, he said, "should remove the potential of further disagreements."

 

Jobs had stirred the pot regarding a resolution to the conflict when he used the Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper" album cover and played "Lovely Rita" during the launch of the iPhone.

 

Now, Beatles fans worldwide may well read further into Jobs statement "Let the downloading begin."

 

But the Fab Four decisionmakers -- Paul McCartney; Ringo Starr; Yoko Ono, the widow of John Lennon; and the estate of George Harrison -- have been notoriously gun-shy about embracing new technology.

 

When compact discs were introduced to replace vinyl records, the Beatles were slow to come to the table. EMI, which releases the Beatles recordings, issued the British editions of the albums in blocks beginning in 1987, standardizing the catalog. In 2004, Capitol issued the first four American releases as a box set; last year, it issued the second block of four.

 

Since the band's breakup in 1970, there have been only about 20 Beatles releases of their recordings from the 1960s; by contrast, RCA and BMG have released more than 200 Elvis Presley packages since his death in 1977.

 

Evidence of the Beatles' extraordinary power at retail: In 2000, the hits compilation 'Beatles 1" performed so well that it was credited with salvaging the year from disaster.

 

Agreement replaces a 1991 pact between the two companies and puts an end to the trademark lawsuit Apple Corps filed against Apple in 2003 in London.

 

The two have had a tenuous relationship over the use of the apple logo in relationship to music commerce.

 

Apple Corps filed the suit, claiming the Apple iTunes store violated the 1991 deal. A court in London ruled in favor of Apple in May, and Apple Corps' appeal was scheduled to be heard later this month.

 

During the trial, Apple Corps manager Neil Aspinall disclosed that the catalog was being remastered.

 

In a statement issued Monday, he said, "The years ahead are going to be very exciting times for us. We ... look forward to many years of peaceful cooperation with (Apple)."

 

Apple's stock price closed Monday at $83.80, down 81¢.

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Braxton Settles Suit Against Ex-Manager

 

By SAMANTHA GROSS

Associated Press Writer

 

NEW YORK (AP) -- Toni Braxton has settled her multimillion-dollar lawsuit against her former personal manager, representatives of both parties said.

 

Under the settlement, the 39-year-old R&B singer is free to pursue new projects following her return of a $375,000 advance to manager Barry Hankerson, Braxton representative Michael Sitrick said Tuesday.

 

Hankerson had previously demanded an additional $1 million to provide the singer with only a partial release from her contract, Sitrick said.

 

A Hankerson attorney, Samuel Chilakos, disputed that description of the settlement, saying he was unaware of a demand for additional funds and that the agreement limits the companies with which Braxton can work.

 

Braxton would be responsible for paying royalties from her next album to Hankerson, both parties said.

 

Braxton's lawsuit claimed that Hankerson owed her at least $10 million for dirty dealing that caused her to abandon a long relationship with Arista Records, a Sony BMG Music Entertainment label, for Blackground Records, the manager's record label.

 

The lawsuit accused the manager of putting his financial interests ahead of Braxton's and inducing the singer to leave a lucrative deal with Arista through fraud, deception and double-dealing.

 

Hankerson on Tuesday disputed those allegations.

 

"She was dropped from Arista because of record sales," he said, adding that Braxton did not want to move to Blackground Records but "there was nowhere else for her to go."

 

He said his relationship with the singer soured because of her insistence that she involve her husband in her albums.

 

Braxton's 1993 debut album, "Toni Braxton," rose to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and sold more than 10 million copies worldwide. Braxton received the Grammy Award for best new artist in 1993, and she won Grammys that year and the next for best female R&B vocal performance.

 

© 2007 The Associated Press.

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Patty Jackson's 4-1-1

 

Producer Teddy Riley could be facing jail time for embezzlement. A court order out of Chesapeake, Virginia claims Riley failed to comply with a court order by not appearing to answer charges about withholding a former employee’s wages. A March 13th court date has been set.

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Patty Jackson's 4-1-1

 

The feud is over between Patti LaBelle and Record Exec L.A. Reid. LaBelle left Def Jam Records in a huff after they failed to properly promote her album.

LaBelle blasted the label and Reid publicly. Reid took offense, and let her go from the label. Well, now months later, cooler heads have prevailed.

Egos and misunderstandings have been put aside and the two have made up. LaBelle is now back with Island/Def Jam Records, and she should have a new album coming out later this year.

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NY DAILY NEWS

 

Seal Loses Court Appeal Over Payments

 

 

LONDON (AP) -- Seal lost his bid Wednesday to overturn a British court ruling ordering the Grammy-winning singer to pay his ex-manager commissions on earnings from his first two albums.

 

Court of Appeal Judge Roger Toulson dismissed Seal's challenge to a High Court ruling in June that his former manager John Wadlow was entitled to unpaid commissions due under a 1995 agreement.

 

Both of the albums in question were recorded before that date. In June, the court had ordered Seal to make an interim payment of $922,000.

 

The appeal court cited an earlier management agreement and the 1995 settlement signed by Seal, whose real name is Henry Olusegun Adeola Samuel, when he severed his links with Wadlow.

 

Seal, 44, argued both agreements weren't valid because his former manager had used "undue influence."

 

Toulson said the terms agreed on in the settlement were "not unreasonable or oppressive" from Seal's point of view.

 

The court heard how a then-undiscovered 24-year-old Seal met Wadlow, who was a partner in a recording studio business known as Beethoven Street Studios, in 1987.

 

Their relationship continued until the March 1995 agreement, by which time Seal was an international star.

 

He released his first album in May 1991 and his second in May 1994; both reached No. 1 on British album charts.

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John Popper Arrested in Washington

 

By NICHOLAS K. GERANIOS

Associated Press Writer

 

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) -- Blues Traveler singer and harmonica player John Popper was arrested after the vehicle he was riding in was clocked going 111 mph, the Washington State Patrol said Wednesday.

 

Popper, 39, was arrested Tuesday afternoon on Interstate 90 near the Spokane/Lincoln county line, the Washington State Patrol said.

 

Inside the black Mercedes SUV, officers found a cache of weapons and a small amount of marijuana, the Patrol said. A police dog searched the vehicle, finding numerous hidden compartments containing four rifles, nine handguns and a switchblade knife. Authorities also found a Taser and night vision goggles. The vehicle was seized.

 

Popper, who lives in Snohomish, Wash., is the owner of the vehicle, which was being driven by Brian Gourgeois, 34, of Austin, Texas, said state patrol Trooper Jeff Sevigney. The vehicle also had flashing emergency headlights, a siren and a public address system, the Patrol said.

 

"Popper indicated to troopers that he had installed these items in his vehicle because (in the event of a natural disaster) he didn't want to be left behind," the Patrol said in a news release. He also told officers he collected weapons, the Patrol said.

 

The two men were booked administratively into the Adams County jail and released on their own recognizance. Authorities plan to charge them with possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. Gourgeois will also face a charge of reckless driving, the Patrol said.

 

Popper did not immediately return an e-mail seeking comment Wednesday night.

 

Popper achieved fame as a harmonica player and frontman for Blues Traveler. The band won a Grammy award in 1996 for the song "Run-around," which Popper composed.

 

Popper recently formed a group called The John Popper Project with DJ Logic, which released an album in 2006 and is scheduled to go on the road later this month.

 

© 2007 The Associated Press.

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John Popper Arrested in Washington

 

By NICHOLAS K. GERANIOS

Associated Press Writer

 

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) -- Blues Traveler singer and harmonica player John Popper was arrested after the vehicle he was riding in was clocked going 111 mph, the Washington State Patrol said Wednesday.

 

Popper, 39, was arrested Tuesday afternoon on Interstate 90 near the Spokane/Lincoln county line, the Washington State Patrol said.

 

Inside the black Mercedes SUV, officers found a cache of weapons and a small amount of marijuana, the Patrol said. A police dog searched the vehicle, finding numerous hidden compartments containing four rifles, nine handguns and a switchblade knife. Authorities also found a Taser and night vision goggles. The vehicle was seized.

 

Popper, who lives in Snohomish, Wash., is the owner of the vehicle, which was being driven by Brian Gourgeois, 34, of Austin, Texas, said state patrol Trooper Jeff Sevigney. The vehicle also had flashing emergency headlights, a siren and a public address system, the Patrol said.

 

"Popper indicated to troopers that he had installed these items in his vehicle because (in the event of a natural disaster) he didn't want to be left behind," the Patrol said in a news release. He also told officers he collected weapons, the Patrol said.

 

The two men were booked administratively into the Adams County jail and released on their own recognizance. Authorities plan to charge them with possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. Gourgeois will also face a charge of reckless driving, the Patrol said.

 

Popper did not immediately return an e-mail seeking comment Wednesday night.

 

Popper achieved fame as a harmonica player and frontman for Blues Traveler. The band won a Grammy award in 1996 for the song "Run-around," which Popper composed.

 

 

© 2007 The Associated Press.

:blink: I have to respect his right to keep a personal gun collection in the privacy of his own home-BUT not concelaed in secret compartments in a car.

"Popper indicated to troopers that he had installed these items in his vehicle because (in the event of a natural disaster) he didn't want to be left behind," the Patrol said in a news release. He also told officers he collected weapons, the Patrol said. Is it certain there is only weed in the car? what is the big guy on these days?

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Manager Says Popper Legally Had Weapons

 

By NICHOLAS K. GERANIOS

Associated Press Writer

 

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) -- Blues Traveler frontman John Popper is an avid gun collector who often stops at shooting ranges when traveling, and that's why officers found weapons in his vehicle during a traffic stop, his manager said Thursday.

 

Troopers stopped Popper and a companion on Tuesday after they clocked the vehicle at 111 mph, the Washington State Patrol said. Officers said they found a cache of weapons and a small amount of marijuana in the vehicle.

 

The two men were booked into the Adams County Jail and then released.

 

Authorities plan to charge Popper, 39, who lives in Snohomish, Wash., and Brian Gourgeois, 34, of Austin, Texas, with possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

 

Gourgeois, who was driving Popper's black Mercedes SUV, will also face a charge of reckless driving, the Patrol said.

 

George Couri, manager for Popper and the band, said all the weapons in the vehicle are registered and were transported in a locked cabinet.

 

"He is an avid gun collector and when he takes long trips, he likes to visit shooting ranges," Couri said.

 

Inside the vehicle were four rifles, nine handguns and a switchblade knife. Troopers also found a Taser and night vision goggles.

 

"Since January, John has been in Austin, Texas, recording an acoustic album of the band's greatest hits and was driving home from Austin to western Washington when the car was pulled over," Couri said in a written statement.

 

Troopers also said the vehicle had flashing emergency headlights, a siren and a public address system. In a news release, Popper "indicated to troopers that he had installed these items in his vehicle because (in the event of a natural disaster) he didn't want to be left behind."

 

The SUV was clocked going 111 mph, the Patrol said. Officers seized the vehicle and recovered a small amount of marijuana and a marijuana pipe, the Patrol said.

 

A number for Gourgeois in Austin, Texas could not be located.

 

Popper achieved fame as a harmonica player and frontman for Blues Traveler. The band won a Grammy award in 1996 for the song "Run-around," which Popper composed.

 

Popper recently formed a group called The John Popper Project with DJ Logic, which released an album in 2006 and is scheduled to go on the road later this month.

 

© 2007 The Associated Press.

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Manager Says Popper Legally Had Weapons

 

By NICHOLAS K. GERANIOS

Associated Press Writer

 

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) -- Blues Traveler frontman John Popper is an avid gun collector who often stops at shooting ranges when traveling, and that's why officers found weapons in his vehicle during a traffic stop, his manager said Thursday.

 

Troopers stopped Popper and a companion on Tuesday after they clocked the vehicle at 111 mph, the Washington State Patrol said. Officers said they found a cache of weapons and a small amount of marijuana in the vehicle.

 

The two men were booked into the Adams County Jail and then released.

 

Authorities plan to charge Popper, 39, who lives in Snohomish, Wash., and Brian Gourgeois, 34, of Austin, Texas, with possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

 

Gourgeois, who was driving Popper's black Mercedes SUV, will also face a charge of reckless driving, the Patrol said.

 

George Couri, manager for Popper and the band, said all the weapons in the vehicle are registered and were transported in a locked cabinet.

 

"He is an avid gun collector and when he takes long trips, he likes to visit shooting ranges," Couri said.

 

Inside the vehicle were four rifles, nine handguns and a switchblade knife. Troopers also found a Taser and night vision goggles.

 

"Since January, John has been in Austin, Texas, recording an acoustic album of the band's greatest hits and was driving home from Austin to western Washington when the car was pulled over," Couri said in a written statement.

 

Troopers also said the vehicle had flashing emergency headlights, a siren and a public address system. In a news release, Popper "indicated to troopers that he had installed these items in his vehicle because (in the event of a natural disaster) he didn't want to be left behind."

 

The SUV was clocked going 111 mph, the Patrol said. Officers seized the vehicle and recovered a small amount of marijuana and a marijuana pipe, the Patrol said.

 

A number for Gourgeois in Austin, Texas could not be located.

 

Popper achieved fame as a harmonica player and frontman for Blues Traveler. The band won a Grammy award in 1996 for the song "Run-around," which Popper composed.

 

Popper recently formed a group called The John Popper Project with DJ Logic, which released an album in 2006 and is scheduled to go on the road later this month.

 

© 2007 The Associated Press.

Even though he supposedly had the gun registered legally, that many guns sounds to me like John might be on the Night Train to Crazyville. I mean, didn't OJ collect knives?

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http://hamptonroads.com/2008/02/hit-music-...-virginia-beach

 

Posted Image

 

By Marc Davis

The Virginian-Pilot

© February 2, 2008

VIRGINIA BEACH

 

At one time, Teddy Riley was the reigning king of R&B and hip-hop. Now he's just another fallen star who owes $1 million.

 

In a courtroom Friday, two lawyers agreed to seek a buyer for Riley's recording studio in Thalia.

 

Music history was made there. In the 1990s, Riley produced hit songs in the studio for the likes of Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Heavy D, as well as his own group, BLACKstreet. It was a brand-new, state-of-the-art $3 million studio when it opened in 1991.

 

On Friday, Morris H. Fine, a lawyer for Riley's biggest creditor, said the studio is still functional but out-of-date in today's world of computer recording.

 

Another lawyer, who represents other creditors, said he hopes to sell the studio as a working business, not just another piece of real estate.

 

"I'm trying to save this iconic studio for the cultural heritage it represents," said lawyer Richard J. Conrod Sr. "It would be a shame for it to be mowed down or become anything but a recording studio."

 

For all its prominence, the studio is completely invisible from the street. It is a one-story, windowless building at 4338 Virginia Beach Blvd., near Princess Anne High School. It is hidden behind an AT&T retail store, sharing a parking lot with a veterinary clinic.

 

A neon sign on the building says: "Future Records Recording Studios."

 

Selling the studio is not simply a matter of finding the right buyer. Complicating matters is a series of disputed deeds tied to disbarred Virginia Beach lawyer Troy A. Titus.

 

A lawsuit filed in February 2007 accuses Titus of fraudulently conveying the studio to a company he controlled, then obtaining $475,000 in loans secured by the property. Titus never replied to the accusations, and the case is still pending.

 

A court hearing was scheduled Friday to resolve the deed dispute. Instead, at the last minute, two lawyers representing Riley's creditors - Fine and Conrod - agreed to settle their differences out of court.

 

Riley has been dogged by debts and legal problems for years.

 

In 2002,, Riley filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. He emerged from bankruptcy a year later, but that didn't stop his money troubles.

 

In 2004, the Internal Revenue Service filed a $1 million lien against Riley for unpaid income taxes. In 2006, Riley was forced to sell his house in the ritzy Church Point neighborhood for $1.5 million to pay off federal and city taxes, as well as the home's mortgage.

 

Last year, the IRS filed another tax lien against Riley for $196,747. And just last month, the state filed a $93,684 income tax lien against Riley.

 

The studio, too, is mired in debt.

 

In 2005, Riley borrowed $700,000 against the studio from a local lender, Equitable Relocation Services Inc. Riley defaulted on that loan, and the lender won a $700,000 judgment against him in 2006.

 

Equitable has been trying to collect the money ever since. The company has filed 22 garnishments against Riley's various bank accounts and assets in the past year. So far, it has collected $261,000.

 

It's unclear whether selling the studio would be enough to pay the rest of the debt. The property is assessed at $460,000.

 

Conrod said the studio is worth more as a going business than as real estate. If the studio is sold, Conrod said Riley told him last year that he "will use his influence to bring artists to Virginia Beach."

 

Riley grew up in New York City, then moved to Virginia Beach around 1990. He moved to Atlanta sometime in the past year or two.

 

Marc Davis, (757) 222-5131, marc.davis@pilotonline.com

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panachereport.com

 

R&B singer/producer Teddy Riley has been forced to sell his Virginia recording studio in an effort to pay back debts of around $1 million .

The former Blackstreet star - who has produced tracks for the likes of Michael and Janet Jackson and Mary J. Blige - filed for bankruptcy in 2002. Lawyers for Riley are currently looking to sell his Future Records Recording Studios in Thalia to pay back angry creditors who loaned him $700,000 in 2005. Riley defaulted on payments for the borrowed cash from Equitable Relocation Services Inc., and in 2006, the company won a $700,000 judgement against him - but they have so far received just $261,000. But attorney Richard J. Conrod Sr. is attempting to preserve the studio and sell it as a business as opposed to real estate: "I'm trying to save this iconic studio for the cultural heritage it represents. It would be a shame for it to be mowed down or become anything but a recording studio." The studio cost more than $3 million when it was first opened in 1991, but the then-state-of-the-art equipment is now out-of-date. It's not the first time Riley has been hassled for outstanding bills - he has continued to face trouble from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for unpaid income taxes since 2004. Riley resorted to selling his Virginia Beach home in 2006 for $1.5 million to settle the $1 million he owed the IRS, as well as pay off the mansion's outstanding mortgage. And he was hit again by another IRS bill for $196,747 in 2007, and in January (08), Virginia state filed a $93,684 income tax lien against him.

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panachereport.com

 

Rapper The Game is to plead guilty to felony gun charges in an effort to save the expense of a lengthy trial that could put him behind bars for five years.

The Dreams hitmaker stands accused of making criminal threats and possessing a firearm in a school zone during a fight in the middle of a basketball game last year. The Game - real name Jayceon Taylor - pleaded not guilty to all charges in September (07), but now he has changed his mind, even though he insists he's still innocent.

He tells Monsta magazine, "The crazy part about this is that I've had guns before in my life. But this time I didn't have a gun. "Because one person said I had a gun and coaxed his homies into saying that I had a gun, I'm in a predicament where I'm asking, 'Do I want to spend another million dollars to fight this trial, so who knows what jury's gonna come in and say I'm guilty? Or do I want to save my money, go sit down for four months and accept this felony they're trying to give me for no reason?'"

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Panachereport.com

 

Producer Scott Storch has been ordered to pay back more than $500,000 to a record label boss after reneging on a loan deal. The beatmaker is alleged to have borrowed $100,000 via his company Tuff Jew Productions from LA Confidential label owner David Menefield in 2003 to prevent the foreclosure of his home.

In return, Menefield claims Storch promised to provide four tracks for LA Confidential artists, worth $100,000 each. But Storch failed to honor his part of the agreement and Menefield was forced to take legal action against him in May 2007.

A ruling was delivered by a United States California Central District Court judge on 13 February (08), and Storch must pay back a total of $509,717. The amount includes the initial $100,000 loan and the cumulative amount of $400,000 for the four tracks plus attorney fees. The news is sure to come as a blow for Storch, who has been plagued by recent reports claiming he is in financial difficulty. It was recently alleged he is in arrears on more than $400,000-worth of tax payments for his Miami, Florida, mansion, while he is also being sued by his ex-girlfriend Dalene Daniel for late child support payments.

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Panache Report

 

Remy Ma's alleged assault victim told New York Superior Court on Friday the rapper shot her in the stomach after a money row escalated into violence.

The hip-hop star - real name Remy Smith - is accused of assault, criminal possession of a weapon, gang assault and witness intimidation in relation to the shooting of 23-year-old Makeda Barnes-Joseph outside a New York nightclub last July (07).

During her testimony on Friday, Barnes-Joseph claimed Smith opened fire on her because she refused to open her purse to prove she hadn't stolen $2,000 from the MC.

Barnes-Joseph said Smith demanded she dump the contents of her handbag - and pulled out a gun when she refused.

She told the court, "When she did that, I knew she was trying to make a scene. I knew I didn't have her money so it didn't bother me." When Smith attempted to snatch the bag from her, the two began to tussle, according to Barnes-Joseph, before the rapper shot her in the abdomen.

Smith has pleaded not guilty to all charges but faces up to 25 years in jail if she's convicted. The trial continues.

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Rapper Nate Dogg is on informal probation after pleading guilty to aggravated trespassing and battery. The hitmaker was sentenced in Orange County, California last week (20Mar08).

The charges come from a domestic violence complaint from 2006, when Nate Dogg allegedly broke into his ex-girlfriend's Huntington Beach, California home and beat up a love rival.

Nate's ex and her boyfriend both filed restraining orders against the hip-hop artist after the incident, according to TMZ.com.

As well as the probation, the rapper - real name Nathaniel Dawayne Hale - was ordered to complete a domestic violence treatment program and he was forbidden from owning a weapon for 10 years.

 

Source: Panachereport.com

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Brother of Late Singing Sensation (Gerald Levert) Jailed For Failure To Pay Child Support

 

 

Cleveland, OH - The brother of late crooner Gerald Levert was sentenced to prison for not paying child support. Sean sung in the trio "Levert," alongside his late brother, Gerald.

 

Sean Levert will spend the next 22-months behind bars.

 

 

Levert owes $85,427.68 in back child support for his three children - ages 11, 15 and 17.

 

 

Levert was sentenced Monday by Judge Nancy Margaret Russo. He did not speak at his sentencing.

 

Source: Panachereport.com

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TI SENTENCED TO 12 MONTHS IN PRISON AND 1500 HOURS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE!!!

 

 

 

March 27, 2008. ATLANTA - (AP)

 

Rapper T.I. was expected to plead guilty Thursday to federal weapons charges and will face prison time, according to two people familiar with his case.

 

The 27-year-old singer, whose real name is Clifford Harris, was expected to be sentenced to 1,500 hours of community service talking to youth groups around the country, followed by about 12 months in prison, according to two people familiar with the negotiations who spoke on condition of anonymity because the plea deal had not been finalized yet Thursday morning.

 

Harris is one of Atlantic Records' most successful artists. His sixth album, "T.I. vs. T.I.P.," was released July 3, debuting at No. 1. He appeared in the 2007 film "American Gangster," which starred Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe.

 

His prison time could be increased or reduced, depending on his fulfillment of the terms of the deal and good behavior, the two people familiar with the negotiations said. His talks to youth groups are supposed to be about the pitfalls of guns, gangs and drugs.

 

The U.S. Attorney in Atlanta announced a change-of-plea hearing was scheduled Thursday afternoon at the federal courthouse. Prosecution officials were expected to speak to the media after the hearing.

 

U.S. District Judge Charles Pannell Jr. must approve the deal.

 

Harris was arrested Oct. 13, just blocks away and hours before he was to headline the BET Hip-Hop Awards in Atlanta.

 

He was charged with possession of unregistered machine guns and silencers, as well as possession of firearms by a convicted felon. He faced a maximum of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count.

 

Harris was allegedly trying to buy unregistered machine guns and silencers. He initially pleaded not guilty, and has been under house arrest since he was released on $3 million bond Oct. 26.

 

Harris, co-CEO of Grand Hustle Records, grew up in Atlanta. His first taste of success came with his 2003 album, "Trap Muzik." In 2004, warrants were issued for his arrest on probation violations for a drug conviction, and he was sentenced to three years behind bars.

 

Source: AP

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