Ken Caillat, the producer behind Fleetwood Mac’s signature album Rumours, and Steven Stiefel, co-author of the ‘Making Rumours’ memoir, have taken action against the creators of Broadway musical Stereophonic for copyright infringement in New York. The pair have alleged that David Adjmi, the writer behind Stereophonic, copied “the heart and soul” of the memoir which resulted in the show being “substantially similar” to the book.
Stereophonic is about a fictional, mixed-gender British-American rock band writing and recording their first album in the 1970s. After the musical was debuted, various reviews pointed to the similarities between it and Fleetwood Mac’s story, as told in Making Rumours, which was released in 2012.
In the action filed, it is alleged that a specific anecdote, where there is an argument between the band because Caillat had removed a guitar from a take under orders, is replicated in the show. Additionally, it is alleged that this use of a sound engineer as a side character, who offers an outside perspective, is further proof of direct copying. A significant reason for filing the claim is the alleged harm that the success of the musical will have on the possibility of Caillat and Stiefel adapting the memoir. Adjmi has previously stated that he also intends to turn the show into a film.
This is not the first time Adjmi has been on the end of a copyright infringement claim. In 2015, it was alleged that he had copied the 1970s sitcom Three’s Company in writing the play 3C. However, the judge sided with him, stating that it was “fair use”.
Caillat and Stiefel are seeking damages, including profits earned from the show. The extent of the damages has not been specified.
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