Megadeth settle album artwork lawsuit

Thrash metal stalwarts Megadeth have settled a legal dispute with artist Brent Elliott White in relation to the artwork used on the cover of their latest album ‘The Sick, the Dying… and the Dead!’. White, a New York-based illustrator, sued the band after they allegedly failed to pay him for his services in creating the album artwork. Having purportedly invested “hundreds of hours of work” in producing it, White also claimed to have retained ownership of the copyright in the artwork despite the fact that it features a depiction of Megadeth’s mascot, Vic Rattlehead, which is a registered trade mark owned by the band. It was claimed that the band began using White’s artwork, which he completed for the album, additional singles, and an EP, before having paid any fee to the artist. Upon release of the album, the parties remained unable to agree the amount due for the artwork, which ultimately led White to commence legal proceedings. Earlier this week, however, the parties filed a joint notice of settlement with the Court, stating that “the matter has been resolved amicably.” The matter is therefore expected to be dismissed within the next 30 days. This demonstrates the importance of having clear terms in place with third parties who are doing work for you or there may be disputes over who owns what rights. If you have any questions on the above, please do not hesitate to contact the team at McDaniels Law on 0191 281 4000 or legal@mcdanielslaw.com . Posted by: Megan Walker in: Copyright

Share the Post:

Related Posts