PeeWee and Nik Fish got sued..
Tower Records today was fined $500,000 and Pee Wee Ferris $50,000 for mixing a compilation of tunes which they hadn't been given permission to use. I heard it on the radio this afternoon but the only news on the web I can find is from nearly 3 years ago!
Three music companies have launched court action to stop what they claim is the theft of their dance music by some of Sydney's leading DJs and an independent record label. Central Station Records, Sony Music and Universal Music allege that DJs Pee Wee Ferris Captain Kirk and Nik Fish and an independent record label have improperly used tracks to which they hold the rights.
In the Australian Federal Court on Friday the record companies sought an interim order from Justice Peter Jacobson stopping the production and distribution of seven CDs featuring 12 allegedly unauthorised tracks.
Documents tendered to the court said the discs - which feature Ferris, Fish, Kirk and other DJs remixing other artists' songs -made unlicensed use of tracks by international performers including Kai Tracid and Reloop.
The Lawyers for the record companies alleged that while the tracks had been treated by a DJ - sped up, slowed down and repeated in parts and therefore their presence on the CD represented a breach of copyright.
And this is where it gets good…the lawyers also produced evidence of alleged intimidation by one of the DJs involved.
Copies of short message service (SMS) messages allegedly sent by Tower Records director and DJ Christopher Fraser Smith were tendered.
In one message to an employee of one of the music companies behind the Federal Court action, Smith allegedly wrote: "Don't hide u fat ---- im coming 2day and what a drama there is going 2b [name of alleged victim] u will learn the rules of aus".
Another SMS read: "Also i got ur home addres from the public records [rental bond board] maybe easier 2 come in the night as ur busy by day cant wait 2 meet the mrs".
Adam Houda, who is counsel for Smith and Fish - whose real name is Nik Vatoff - said his clients would consent to an interlocutory order stopping them distributing and producing the CDs involved
Also at:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitem...03/s1321525.htm
The court case
http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/...t/2005/228.html