Zappa Sues Discreet, Warners
By Record World
LOS ANGELES – Frank Zappa's manager, Bennett Glotzer, has announced that on October 25 Zappa filed a lawsuit in the Los Angeles United States District Court against Warner Bros. Records and Discreet Records, seeking damages of five million dollars.
Live LP
Zappa also seeks preliminary and permanent injunctions against the defendants, prohibiting them from manufacturing, pressing, selling, releasing or distributing an album entitled "Zappa in New York."
In the lawsuit brought by attorney Harvey Fierstein, Zappa claims that Warner Bros. and Discreet have pirated his album and the nine original musical compositions that appear on it. Zappa further claims that he has not issued any licenses for the release of the album or songs, and he seeks to enjoin Warner Bros. and Discreet from using his name, image and likeness in promoting the album.
In the hearing held before U.S. Judge Malcolm C. Lucas, attorneys for Warner Bros. and Discreet stipulated that they would not manufacture, press, sell, release or distribute the aforementioned album pending further rulings by the court at a hearing to be held on November 3. A spokesman for Warner Bros. Records told Record World that "the matter is in litigation, and it is therefore inappropriate for us to comment at this time."