Jared Leto Responds To 30 Seconds To Mars Lawsuit
30 Seconds To Mars front-man Jared Leto has responded, giving his side of the recent lawsuit against the band by their label, Virgin Records.
Leto wrote on the band’s website that the suit was “ridiculously overblown” and, “We had been signed to our record contract for nine years… under California law, where we live and signed our deal, one cannot be bound to a contract for more than seven years. This is widely known by all the record companies and has been for years. In fact, so aware of it are they that they desperately try to make deals outside of California whenever possible. It is a law that protects people from lengthy, unfair, career-spanning contracts. This law also gave us the legal right to explore other possible opportunities.”
Leto added that the band is still in debt to the label, even though they’ve sold over two million copies of 2005’s ‘A Beautiful Lie.
Comments
Comment from nags
Date: August 19, 2008, 8:39 pm
“Leto added that the band is still in debt to the label, even though they’ve sold over two million copies of 2005’s ‘A Beautiful Lie.”
That’s the most ridiculous part. A band that’s been that successful still owing money to the label. I hate the business.
Comment from Sox5452
Date: August 19, 2008, 8:39 pm
It doesn’t look like this lawsuit is going to hold up…
And I’m sorry but if Virgin can’t make a profit on A Beautiful Lie after the album sells 2 million copies, that’s their own damn fault. Seriously how the heck is it possible for a band to be over a million dollars in debt after their album goes double platinum??
Comment from Fred
Date: August 19, 2008, 8:53 pm
Maybe touring debt? That gets expensive.
Comment from BluDevils2417
Date: August 19, 2008, 10:29 pm
Still thats a bit ridiculous to have just one multi million dollar cd and still be in debt and it doesnt sound like they are close to being out.
Comment from ohgreat
Date: August 19, 2008, 11:13 pm
Incubus were in the same deal being Californians themselves and never got this much of a hassle very quickly. Here’s a finger up your … , Virgin Records!
But being in debt? Oh, Virgin! This lawsuit is blown out of proportion and I agree the side that Jared Leto has taken on to address it in the statement. It’s still a finger up one’s … with the music business, in general. No kidding.
There better be a truce called on this sometime soon, I hope.
Comment from drastic8
Date: August 20, 2008, 8:00 am
I say they pull an anti-capitalism solution out of Fight Club: recruit Meatloaf, Brad Pitt and Edward Norton to burn khakis in front of Virgin Records HQ. (more like diet Fight Club, but anyway) Seriously, the RIAA represents the major labels of the recording industry but there should be something focusing on things like making sure labels aren’t screwing over their bands - which seems to be a pretty common theme lately.
I think everyone from Kiss, Butch Walker, Rob Zombie and many other label -shafted artists should all gang up form an alliance of some sort to protect the rights of all these bands. Union? I dunno? Anything that provides some leverage against the power the labels have.
I can see how a company or label wants to pinch pennies, but when your clients are making you the money, they should be on equal ground. And to sue a client for not coming through on a contract having never even paid them (according to the full response from Leto, 30STM is still $1.4 M in debt to EMI) is ridiculous.
http://www.thirtysecondstomars.com/main.asp?page=news
Sorry, I gotta rant when I hear stuff like this. Cheers to you Leto, Good Luck.
Comment from youknow
Date: August 20, 2008, 3:45 pm
That was a good rant, drastic8.
There’s been news with RIAA catching those who pirate music and now this crap.
Holy shit. $1.4 M in debt to EMI? Crazy.
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