Search Results for: MAX

A federal court judge has surprised the entertainment industry by denying a request for a summary judgment that would shut down Grokster and Streamcast Networks. The precedent-setting ruling Friday by U.S. District Court Judge Stephen Wilson is a major blow against a pillar of the film and music business’ strategy against online piracy, which is to hold the underlying technology companies responsible. “It is undisputed that there are substantial noninfringing uses” for Grokster and Streamcast’s Morpheus, Wilson wrote in his decision. He cited Sony Corporation of America vs. Universal City Studios, the 1984 milestone usually referred to as the Betamax… Read more »

Two companies behind services for sharing music and movies over the Internet are not to blame for any illegal copying conducted by the services’ users, a federal judge ruled Friday. The 34-page ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Stephen Wilson was a major blow to recording companies and movie studios, which have been aggressively filing lawsuits and pushing new laws to stem the illegal copying and distribution of their copyright works. The decision, if it survives appeal, essentially absolves Grokster Ltd. and StreamCast Networks Inc. of liability. Grokster distributes file-sharing software by that name, and StreamCast distributes Morpheus. “It’s a… Read more »

Investigators have found a document that suggests the owners of a nightclub where 99 people died in a fire promoted its capacity well above the limit that night, according to attorneys representing people considering lawsuits in the disaster. The document, found recently in the rubble of The Station, is an unsigned contract between the club’s owners and the band Great White, according to the attorneys. They said it shows the owners promoted the club’s capacity as 550 for the Feb. 20 concert. West Warwick town officials have said the club’s maximum capacity was 404, if all the furniture was removed.… Read more »

Rap star 50 Cent, whose debut album is the best-selling release of the year, has inked a label deal with Interscope Records. He will sign and develop artists under the imprint G-Unit Records. All G-Unit releases will be marketed and distributed by Interscope Records. The first release from the imprint will be a debut album from the label’s namesake – rap collective G-Unit, featuring 50 Cent, Tony Yayo and Lloyd Banks. The album will hit stores by year’s end. 50 Cent’s debut album, “Get Rich or Die Tryin’ ” (Shady/Aftermath/Interscope), which was executive produced by Eminem and Dr. Dre, has… Read more »

A flying sheep’s head hit a concertgoer and fractured his skull at a concert of metal band Mayhem. The band, part of Norway’s death metal music scene, was carving up a dead sheep as part of its stage act when the animal’s head flew off lead singer Maniac’s knife and struck Per Kristian Hagen, 25. The show was Thursday in Bergen, 487 kilometers (302 miles) west of the capital, Oslo. “My relationship to sheep is a bit ambivalent now. I like them, but not when they come flying through the air,” Hagen told The Associated Press Monday from his hospital… Read more »

In a year fraught with political turmoil, turbulence and insecurity, music fans turned to their favorite songs to take them away from many of their problems and help them come to terms with others that were impossible to escape. Whether it was Eminem rapping, “Lose yourself in the music,” or Bruce Springsteen singing, “Come on up for the rising/ Come on up, lay your hands in mine,” the messages of unity were universal. At the 45th annual Grammy Awards, held Sunday (February 23) at New York’s Madison Square Garden, apolitical hedonists and social activists alike rallied together to celebrate the… Read more »

Songwriters and music publishers have filed a $17 billion lawsuit against German media giant Bertelsmann AG, claiming that their investment in Napster constitutes copyright infringement. The case was filed late Wednesday in U.S District Court of New York. Plaintiffs in the suit include songwriting duo Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, whose hits include “Hound Dog” and “Stand by Me,” and music publisher Peer International Corp. Of note is that the lawsuit is seeking class-action status for other music publishers represented by the Harry Fox Agency. If this were to happen, BMG Music Publishing, which is a division of Bertelsmann, would… Read more »

Pre-teens may be tiring of pop idols like Britney Spears and the Backstreet Boys, but it seems the R&B community is waking up to Justin Timberlake. The ‘N Sync singer on Monday picked up two Soul Train Music Award nominations, the only white performer to get a mention. Rookie soul divas Ashanti and Amerie led the contenders with three nominations each, while Timberlake was among four acts to earn two apiece, the others being singers Musiq and Nelly, British soul duo Floetry and urban boy band B2K. Winners will be announced during the 17th annual Soul Train Awards, which will… Read more »

After scoring a hit in 2000 with their first single, “Flavor of the Weak,” American Hi-Fi were showered with praise and press. The experience of playing stadiums and landing mainstream radio play influenced frontman Stacy Jones to write the title track of the band’s new album, The Art of Losing. “We started out playing these sh-ty little clubs all over the country, and it was f-ing great,” explained Jones. “Then when ‘Flavor of the Weak’ started getting played, we found ourselves on these bills where we were playing between Dream and the ‘Moulin Rouge’ chicks. I just remember looking at… Read more »

A man who racked up nearly $33,000 on credit cards while using Will Smith’s identity can forget about any independence days for the next three years. Carlos Lomax of Duquesne, who pleaded guilty in September to one count of using unauthorized credit cards, was sentenced Thursday to 37 months in federal prison. Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret Picking said Lomax, 42, opened 14 bogus credit accounts at Pittsburgh-area stores as Willard C. Smith, the full name of the actor-rapper who’s starred in movies including “Independence Day,” without Smith’s authorization. All the accounts used Lomax’s home address, where authorities in January found… Read more »