Former Ramone sues Wal-Mart, Apple, RealNetworks & Johnny Ramone Estate for $1 million

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Former Ramone sues over song downloads

09/21/2007 1:15 PM, AP
David B. Caruso

http://music.yahoo.com/read/news/48589839

Hey, ho, let's go ... to court. A drummer who spent four years in one of the greatest punk bands of all time, The Ramones, filed a federal lawsuit Friday claiming he is owed nearly $1 million in royalties on songs sold over the Internet. Richard "Richie Ramone" Reinhardt, who performed with the Ramones between 1983 and 1987, sued Wal-Mart, Apple, RealNetworks, the band's management and the estate of its lead guitarist, claiming he had never fully signed over the rights to the six songs he wrote for the group. Specifically, Reinhardt said there was never any written deal authorizing the sale of those songs digitally. He said he is owed at least $900,000 in royalties, and asked the court to issue an injunction preventing further use of his compositions without permission.

Along with the digital music stores, the lawsuit names a pair of production companies associated with the band and the estate of guitarist John Cummings, who performed under the name Johnny Ramone. A spokesman for Wal-Mart declined to comment. Officials at Apple and RealNetworks did not immediately respond to an inquiry about the lawsuit. Ira Herzog, a longtime business affairs representative for the Ramones, did not immediately return a phone message.

Three of the group's founding members, Johnny, Joey and Dee Dee, have died in recent years. The original drummer, Tommy, became a producer for the band and was replaced by Marky Ramone. Reinhardt took over on drums during a Marky hiatus in the 1980s.

His six songs for the Ramones were "Smash You," "Somebody Put Something in My Drink," "Human Kind," "I'm Not Jesus," "I Know Better Now" and "(You) Can't Say Something Nice."

http://music.yahoo.com/read/news/48589839