Green Day Sued By Artist Over Copyright
Artist Dereck Seltzer alleges that an image he created and copyrighted was illegally used by the band Green Day on their website, music video and concerts in 2009.
Via PerezHilton we learn that Green Day has a new legal headache:
Artist Dereck Seltzer created an image that, he alleges, the band used on their website, music video and concerts in 2009. Dereck says his work has been copyrighted and he was never asked or compensated from the band to use it.
Green Day says they received the image from a company and were “unaware” that they had broke any copyright laws.
According to the Hollywood Reporter:
Seltzer is seeking up to $30,000, or $150,000 (if the infringement is found to be willful) for each copyrighted work infringed. According to the complaint, filed by Todd Bonder at Rosenfeld Meyer & Susman, the art was reproduced on stage as well as on Green Day’s website and in performances of the song “East Jesus Nowhere” distributed on video, and broadcast on television as part of Green Day’s performance at the American Music Awards.
Last fall, Vampire Weekend ripped off Aakash Nihalani in a similar way with their music video “Cousins” but he didn’t end up suing.
You can watch the offending Vampire Weekend video here.
