Iron Maiden "Running Free" after settling copyright action

Iron Maiden have settled a copyright claim brought against them by songwriter Brian Quinn. Quinn, of Whitley Bay, had sued over what he alleged was infringing content in two songs. He claimed that 'Hallowed Be Thy Name' infringed his song 'Life's Shadow' by appropriating its lyrics, and 'The Nomad' used musical elements of the same song without permission.

Iron Maiden had agreed rights to use the elements about which the complaint is made with Bob Barton, the co-author of Life's Shadow. They had not, however, sought any license or permission from Mr Quinn.

The settlement dictates that Iron Maiden are able to use any part of Life's Shadow without limitation in the above songs. The headline grabbing part of the settlement is the £100,000 settlement figure the band have agreed to pay to Mr Quinn, which is in addition to covering his legal fees of around £285,000.

The band remain defiant despite settling the claim, with a spokesperson stating that "it was pragmatic to reluctantly settle" the matter. The band have not admitted infringement.

Mr Quinn was assisted in bringing the claim by Barry McKay, the former manager of local band Lindisfarne. He has assisted musicians in enforcing and protecting their rights before, but said that he had "…never had to bring a case against other musicians before".

The most unusual element of this settlement is its public nature. Oftentimes we see that a case has settled and have no idea of the commercial details contained therein. On this occasion we know that Mr Quinn has scored a substantial victory, achieving half of his desired damages and having his legal costs covered in full.

If you have any questions on the above, please do not hesitate to contact the team at McDaniel & Co. on 0191 281 4000 or legal@mcdanielslaw.com.