Vmg Salsoul Llc v Minogue

7/27/2019 Vmg Salsoul Llc v Minogue

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1 Rober t S. B e s s e r (SBN 46541)C h r i s t o p h e r Chapin (SBN 112608)

2 LAW OFFICES OF ROBERT S. BESSER1221 Second S t r e e t , S u i t e 300

3 San ta Monica, C a l i f o r n i a 90401

Te l : (310) 394-66114 Fax: (310) 394-6613

r sbesse r@aol . com5 chr i s topherchap in@aol . com

6 A t t o r n e y s f o r P l a i n t i f fVMG SALSOUL LCC

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8 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

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11 VMG SALSOUL LLC, a Delawarel i m i t e d l i a b i l i t y company,

c a e ~ )3 - 07 41 1 .p12

13 v s .P l a i n t i f f , COMPLAINT FOR COPYRIGHT

INFRINGEMENT

14 KYLIE MINOGUE, an i n d i v i d u a l ; DEMAND FOR JURY TRIALCVI CROSSTOWN MUSIC CV1, LLC,a

15 Delaware l i m i t e d l i a b i l i t y

company; UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP,16 a Delaware c o r p o r a t i o n ;

CAPITOL-EMI MUSIC, INC. 1 a17 Delaware c o r p o r a t i o n ; WARNER MUSIC

GROUP, a Delaware c o r p o r a t i o n ;18 CHRISTIAN KARLSSON, an i n d i v i d u a l ;

PONTUS WINNBERG, an i n d i v i d u a l ; and19 DOES 1 t h rough 10, i n c l u s i v e ,

20 Defendan t s .

21

11__________________________________ 1

22P l a i n t i f f VMG SALSOUL LLC, f o r i t s Compla in t a g a i n s t

23Defendan t s , and a l l o f them, a l l e g e s as f o l l o w s :

24PARTIES

251 . P l a i n t i f f VMG SALSOUL LLC ("VMG") i s a l i m i t e d

26

27 - 1 -

28 COMPLAINT FOR COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT



1 l i a b i l i t y company o r g a n i z e d and e x i s t i n g p u r s u a n t t o t h e l aws o f

2 t h e S t a t e o f Delaware .

3 2 . D e f e n d a n t KYLIE MINOGUE ("MINOGUE") i s an i n d i v i d u a l

4 r e s i d e n t o f A u s t r a l i a .

5 3 . D e f e n d a n t UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP ("UNIVERSAL") i s a

6 c o r p o r a t i o n o r g a n i z e d and e x i s t i n g p u r s u a n t t o t h e l aws o f t h e

7 S t a t e o f Delaware , w i t h i t s p r i n c i p a l p l a c e o f b u s i n e s s l o c a t e d

8 i n t h e C i t y o f S a n t a Monica , C a l i f o r n i a , w i t h i n t h i s d i s t r i c t .

9 4 . Defendan t WARNER MUSIC GROUP i s a c o r p o r a t i o n o r g a n i z e d

10 and e x i s t i n g p u r s u a n t t o t h e l aws o f t h e S t a t e o f Delaware , w i t h

11 i t s p r i n c i p a l p l a c e o f b u s i n e s s l o c a t e d i n Bu rba nk , C a l i f o r n i a ,

12 w i t h i n t h i s d i s t r i c t .

13 5. D e f e n d a n t CVI CROSSTOWN MUSIC CV1, LLC ("CROSSTOWN") i

14 a l i m i t e d l i a b i l i t y company o r g a n i z e d and e x i s t i n g p u r s u a n t t o

15 t h e l aws o f t h e S t a t e o f Delaware .

16 6 . D e f e n d a n t CAPITOL-EMI MUSIC, INC. ("EMI") i s a

17 c o r p o r a t i o n o r g a n i z e d an d e x i s t i n g p u r s u a n t t o t h e l aws o f t h e

18 S t a t e o f Delaware and i s a w h o l l y owned s u b s i d i a r y o f UNIVERSAL.

19 7 . Defendan t CHRISTIAN KARLSSON ("KARLSSON") i s an

20 i n d i v i d u a l r e s i d e n t o f an unknown s t a t e o f t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s .

21 8 • D e f e n d a n t PONTUS WINNBERG ("WINNBERG") i s an i n d i v i d u a l

22 r e s i d e n t o f an unknown s t a t e o f t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s .

23 9. The names , r e s i d e n c e s and c a p a c i t i e s o f t h e Defendan t s

24 named h e r e i n a s DOES 1 t h r o u g h 10 a r e unknown t o P l a i n t i f f a t

25 t h i s t i m e . At s u c h t i m e a s t h e f i c t i t i o u s l y named Defendan t s a r

26 a s c e r t a i n e d , P l a i n t i f f w i l l s e e k l e a v e t o amend t h i s Compla in t t

27

28

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COMPLAINT FOR COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT



1 s t a t e t h e i r t r u e names and i d e n t i t i e s .

2 10 . At a l l m a t e r i a l t i m e s , each Defendan t a c t e d as th e

3 a g e n t a n d / o r p r i n c i p a l o f each o t h e r Defendan t and each i s i n

4 some way l i a b l e , j o i n t l y and s e v e r a l l y , t o P l a i n t i f f f o r th e

5 damages a l l e g e d h e r e i n , e i t h e r t o g e t h e r w i t h o r i n d e p e n d e n t l y o f

6 each o t h e r Defendan t .

7 JURISDICTION AND VENUE

8 11. S u b j e c t m a t t e r j u r i s d i c t i o n i s invoked p u r s u a n t t o 28

9 U.S .C . , § 1331 and § 1338 because t h i s a c t i o n a r i s e s under

10 e x c l u s i v e f e d e r a l c o p y r i g h t law, 17 U . S . C . , § 101, e t s e q .

11 12 . Venue i s p r o p e r i n t h i s d i s t r i c t p u r s u a n t t o 28 U.S .C . ,

12 § 1391(b) (2 ) because i n f r i n g e m e n t s o c c u r r e d i n t h i s d i s t r i c t and

13 p u r s u a n t t o 28 U . S . C . , § 1392(b) (3 ) because a t l e a s t one

14 d e f e n d a n t r e s i d e s i n t h i s d i s t r i c t .

15 FACTUAL ALLEGATIONS

16 13. VMG i s th e owner o f t h e c o p y r i g h t i n t h e compos i t ion

17 e n t i t l e d "S ing , Sing" w r i t t e n by T h o r i r Baldursson , Mats

18 Bjork lund and Ju rgen K o r d u l e t s c h , Copyr igh t R e g i s t r a t i o n No.

19 PA0000023762, d a t e d January 15, 1979. A t t a c h e d h e r e t o as E x h i b i t

20 "A " i s a t r u e and c o r r e c t copy o f t h e compos i t ion c o p y r i g h t

21 r e g i s t r a t i o n f o r " S i n g , S i n g . " "S ing , Sing" wa s performed by an

22 a r t i s t named Gaz and r e l e a s e d i n 1978.

23 14. On t h e same b a s i s , VMG i s t h e owner o f th e c o p y r i g h t i

24 th e sound r e c o r d i n g o f "S ing , Sing" Copyr igh t R e g i s t r a t i o n No.

25 SR0000006240, d a t e d January 15, 1979. A t t a c h e d h e r e t o as E x h i b i t

26 "B " i s a t r u e and c o r r e c t copy o f t h e sound r e c o r d i n g c o p y r i g h t

27 - 3 -1 1 - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - -




1 r e g i s t r a t i o n f o r "S ing , S ing . u

2 15 . Upon i n f o r m a t i o n and b e l i e f , th e song "Speakerphone u

3 wa s w r i t t e n by KARLSSON, WINNBERG, Jonback Henrik and Klas

4 h lund . "Speake rphone u wa s recorded by MINOGUE and r e l e a s e d i n

5 p r i l 2008 on MINOGUE's album e n t i t l e d " X u . Upon i n f o r m a t i o n an

6 b e l i e f , Defendants KARLSSON AND WINNBERG co-produced

7 "Speakerphone. u A t t a c h e d h e r e t o a s E x h i b i t "C U i s a t r u e and

8 c o r r e c t copy o f t h e c o p y r i g h t r e g i s t r a t i o n f o r "Speakerphone ,u

9 No. PA0001673139, d a t e d J u l y 22, 2009.

10 16 . Upon i n f o r m a t i o n and b e l i e f , t h e album e n t i t l e d "XU ha

11 s o l d over one m i l l i o n c o p i e s worldwide s i n c e December 2008 and i

12 s t i l l b e i n g s o l d .

13 17 . Upon i n f o r m a t i o n and b e l i e f , t h e album e n t i t l e d "XU wa

14 nomina ted f o r a Grammy Award f o r Bes t E l e c t r o n i c / D a n c e Album.

15 18 . "Speake rphone u i s and has been c o n t i n u o u s l y s i n c e i t

16 wa s f i r s t r e l e a s e d o f f e r e d f o r s a l e i n v a r i o u s media . To t h i s

17 day, i t i s a v a i l a b l e f o r p u r c h a s e on compact d i s c s and d i g i t a l

18 v ideo d i s c s , as w e l l a s a v a i l a b l e f o r download from iTunes ,

19 Amazonmp3.com, eMusic .com and o t h e r i n t e r n e t music p r o v i d e r s .

20 P l a i n t i f f i s informed and b e l i e v e s t h a t "Speake rphone u s t i l l

21 g e n e r a t e s s u b s t a n t i a l income f o r a l l Defendan t s .

22 19. P l a i n t i f f r e c e n t l y d i s c o v e r e d t h a t t h e e n t i r e rhythm

23 t r a c k o f "Speake rphone u wa s i n t e n t i o n a l l y c o p i e d from "S ing ,

24 Sing . u I n f a c t , t h e p e r s o n a l manager f o r Defendants KARLSSON AN

25 WINNBERG has a d m i t t e d t h a t t h e rhythm t r a c k was cop ied o f f an

26 album e n t i t l e d " A l l t h e Breaks ( the 30 0 most e s s e n t i a l drum

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1 b r e a k s o f a l l t i m e ) . "

2 20. The c o v e r o f " A l l t h e B r e a k s " s t a t e s t h a t i t " i s

3 i n t e n d e d f o r u se as an e d u c a t i o n a l t o o l t o a s s i s t i n t h e

4 i n s t r u c t i o n o f sample based mus ic p r o d u c t i o n . . Us e o f any

5 a t e r i a l found on t h i s CD i n any commerc i a l mus i c p r o d u c t i o n

6 r e q u i r e s l i c e n s i n g from t h e o r i g i n a l c o p y r i g h t h o l d e r . "

7 21. No l i c e n s e o r o t h e r c l e a r a n c e was e v e r o b t a i n e d from

8 VMG f o r u se o f t h e "S ing , S ing" drum/rhythm t r a c k i n

9 " S p e a k e r p h o n e . "

10 FIRST CLAIM FOR RELIEF

11 22. P l a i n t i f f r e p e a t s and i n c o r p o r a t e s by r e f e r e n c e t h e

12 a l l e g a t i o n s c o n t a i n e d i n Paragraphs 1 t h r o u g h 21 above as though

13 f u l l y s e t f o r t h .

14 23. Defendan t s , and each o f them, have i n some way

15 i n f r i n g e d t h e c o p y r i g h t s i n t h e sound r e c o r d i n g and compos i t ion

16 o f " S i n g , S ing" by i n c o r p o r a t i n g s u b s t a n t i a l e lemen t s o f "S ing ,

17 Sing" i n t o t h e song "Speake rphone" w i t h o u t a u t h o r i z a t i o n from t h

18 c o p y r i g h t h o l d e r . Defendan t s have p u b l i s h e d , manufac tu red ,

19 d i s t r i b u t e d , s o l d and l i c e n s e d c o p i e s o f "Speake rphone" and

20 c o n t i n u e t o do so d e s p i t e a c t u a l knowledge o f VMG's r i g h t s .

21 Defendan t s have n e v e r p a i d VMG n o r s e c u r e d any a u t h o r i z a t i o n f o r

22 t h e u se o f " S i n g , Sing" i n " S p e a k e r p h o n e . "

23 24. As a d i r e c t and prox ima te r e s u l t o f D e f e n d a n t s '

24 i n f r i n g e m e n t , VMG i s e n t i t l e d t o i t s a c t u a l damages and

25 Defendan t s ' p r o f i t s r e s u l t i n g from t h e i r use o f " S i n g , S i n g . "

26 25. A l t e r n a t i v e l y , VMG i s e n t i t l e d t o s t a t u t o r y damages f o

27 - 5 -I r- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -




1 e a c h i n f r i n g e m e n t i n t h e maximum amount a l l o w e d .

2 26 . D e f e n d a n t s ' c o n d u c t was w i l l f u l and w i t h f u l l knowledge

3 and d i s r e g a r d o f VMG's r i g h t s . I f VMG s h o u l d e l e c t t o p u r s u e

4 s t a t u t o r y damages , VMG w i l l a l s o s e e k an i n c r e a s e d award f o r

5 w i l l f u l i n f r i n g e m e n t .

6 2 7 . As a d i r e c t and p r o x i m a t e r e s u l t o f D e f e n d a n t s '

7 i n f r i n g e m e n t , VMG has i n c u r r e d a t t o r n e y s ' f e e s and c o s t s i n an

8 amount a c c o r d i n g t o p r o o f , wh ich a r e r e c o v e r a b l e u n d e r t h e

9 p r o v i s i o n s o f 17 U . S . C . , §505 .

10 WHEREFORE, P l a i n t i f f p r a y s f o r r e l i e f a s f o l l o w s :

11 1 . Fo r D e f e n d a n t s ' p r o f i t s whi c h a r e a t t r i b u t a b l e t o t h e

12 u n a u t h o r i z e d u s e o f t h e c o m p o s i t i o n and sound r e c o r d i n g o f " S i n g ,

13 S i n g " ;

14 2 . A l t e r n a t i v e l y , P l a i n t i f f s a r e e n t i t l e d t o t h e maximum

15 amount o f s t a t u t o r y damages f o r w i l l f u l i n f r i n g e m e n t o f

16 P l a i n t i f f ' s c o p y r i g h t s ;

17 3 . Fo r r e a s o n a b l e a t t o r n e y s ' f e e s p u r s u a n t t o 17 U . S . C . ,

18 §505 ;

19 4 . For c o s t s o f s u i t i n c u r r e d h e r e i n ; an d

20 5. Such o t h e r o r f u r t h e r r e l i e f a s t h e C o u r t ma y deem j u s

21 and p r o p e r .

22 Dated : O c t o b e r "7, 2013LAW OFFICES OF ROBERT S . BESSER

: : B y: r \ ( \ 571/ _ _ROBERT S . BESSER

25 t t o r n e y s f o r P l a i n t i f f sVMG SAL SOUL LLC

26

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1

2

DEMAND FOR JURY TRIAL3

P l a i n t i f f , VMG SALSOUL LLC hereby demands a t r i a l by j u r y i4

t h i s a c t i o n .5

7ated: O c t o b e r 20136 LAW OFFICES OF ROBERT S. BESSER

7 By :\ I ~ \ ~ 12

OBERTs-. BESS R8 t t o r n e y s f o r P l a i n t i f f

VMG SAL SOUL LLC

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General Information

Docket Number 2:13-cv-07411

Status Open

Court United States District Court for the Central District of California

Date Filed 2013-10-07 00:00:00

VMG SALSOUL LLC, v. MINOGUE,, Docket No. 2:13-cv-07411 (C.D. Cal. Oct 07, 2013), Court Docket

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Vmg Salsoul Llc v Minogue