law
KISS' Gene Simmons is being sued for sexual battery
KISS co-vocalist and eclectic entrepreneur Gene Simmons is being sued for sexual battery by a woman who claims he groped her while she was working in the kitchen at one of his restaurants, as uncovered in documents by The Blast. The existence of the new lawsuit—in which a woman identified only as Jane Doe is […]
Senate introduces Music Modernization Act—understand how it affects songwriters
The Music Modernization Act (MMA) was introduced in the Senate today with sponsors from both parties. The bill aims to change music licensing laws, focusing specifically on how songwriters are paid for streaming. Read more: What is emo, anyway? We look at history to define a genre “The MMA is the best hope for songwriters to […]
Physician-assisted suicide now legal in California
Earlier this week, California Governor Jerry Brown signed the controversial “End Of Life Option Act,” which allows doctors to prescribe lethal medication to terminally ill patients, (via CNN). He offered his personal sentiments in a letter addressed to state lawmakers: “I do not know what I would do if I were dying in prolonged and excruciating […]
New Oklahoma bill may ban hoodies in public places
In Oklahoma, a ban on wearing hoodies in public could become a reality. CNN reports that republican senator Don Barrington's bill, SB 13, would make it illegal “to wear ‘a robe, mask or other disguise’ in public that would ‘intentionally conceal the wearer's identity.’” Violators could face a fine of up to $500. According to Oklahoma's KOTV, […]
This man was arrested for playing music
This past Friday, October 17, musician Andrew Kalleen (photo: Frank Franklin II) was arrested for performing music in a Brooklyn subway station. A bystander captured the entire event on video—which has since gone viral—as it unfolded. The nearly eight minute clip begins with the officer telling Kalleen that he needs to leave, claiming, “The transit authority says […]
Chicago reportedly won't enforce new smoking ban at Riot Fest
On Wednesday, Chicago Park District's Board Of Commissioners voted to ban all smoking (including vaporizers) within the city's 580 parks. However, despite the ban, officer's supposedly won't be enforcing it at this weekend's Riot Fest in Humboldt Park. According to a report from the Chicago Sun-Times, festival attendees will not be ticketed for smoking within the park grounds […]
Tim Lambesis world exclusive interview: The As I Lay Dying singer breaks his year-long silence
Tim Lambesis speaks about his case for the first (and possibly last) time anywhere, in a series of interviews with AP's West Coast Editor Ryan J. Downey conducted in the final weeks and days leading up to today's sentencing of six years imprisonment. “Shock” doesn’t even begin to describe the collective feeling of confusion and bewilderment that reverberated […]
The Death Of Revenge Porn: One mother’s journey to affect serious change
When we interviewed Hunter Moore in August 2012, the “revenge porn” impresario was in the midst of what appeared to be a sudden change of heart. He was closing down Is Anyone Up?, the site he founded, and turning over a new leaf by partnering with a bullying advocacy site. Following on the heels of […]
Joan Jett's Blackheart Records suing Hot Topic for trademark infringement
Some natural associations come up in the rock 'n roll world when you hear the word “Blackheart,” namely Joan Jett And The Blackhearts and her label, Blackheart Records, home of Girl In A Coma, the Dollyrots and the Eyeliners. So, when Hot Topic announced that it was launching a more adult-focused store under the name last […]
Updated coverage of the Tim Lambesis murder-for-hire case
[Photo: Angie Lee, CBS 8] UPDATE: May 30 at 8:33 p.m. EDT Reports we received from the Sheriff's Department today have revealed that Lambesis is no longer in custody within San Diego County [Read more] UPDATE: May 9 at 10:18 p.m. EDT Watch footage from the arraignment, below: UPDATE: May 9 at 9:55 p.m. […]
UK makes first alternative subculture hate crime arrests
Recently, a new system of classification was introduced in Manchester, England that categorizes violence against alternative subcultures (those labeled “emo,” “goth,” “punk” and otherwise) as hate crime. According to The Guardian, the first arrests under the new law were made on Monday. A 14-year-old boy and a 44-year-old man were arrested for the alleged assault […]
Ian Watkins (Lostprophets) trial adjourned until May
LostProphets frontman Ian Watkins appeared in court this morning, March 11, via video, according to the BBC. The court ruled that the hearing would be pushed, again, to the end of May, to allow more time for evidence evaluation. Watkins will remain in prison in the meantime. Watkins' lawyer issued the following statement: “Mr Watkins […]
Randy Blythe (Lamb Of God) acquitted of manslaughter charges
According to Czech website, Blesk.cz, Lamb Of God frontman Randy Blythe has been acquitted of the manslaughter charges he has faced since last summer. The site reports (translated from Czech via Google Translate), “After several weeks of trial ended with the American metal vocalist Randy Blythe. The police blamed the death of a fan of […]
The Lead - Brand New Calamity: If downloading won’t kill labels, maybe the post office will
With the explosion in file-sharing on the internet and the incremental obsolescence of the CD, traditional models for purchasing music have been hit hard in the last decade. But for years, a steadfast dedication to buying music the old-fashioned way—on vinyl and cassettes—has helped indie-music labels stay afloat. A recent change in the process of […]
The Lead - Watching Rocketown: exaggeration, religion, state laws and how the venue became infamous
After an employee of the Nashville music venue/youth outreach center Rocketown was fired in late January for what appeared to be his support of same-sex marriage, and a physical altercation between the venue's staff and a member of the band Volumes that was first reported as an instance of the club objecting to his own […]
Silversun Pickups issue cease and desist order to Mitt Romney campaign
Silversun Pickups' lawyer has issued a cease and desist order today to the Romney political camp for illegal use of the band's song “Panic Switch” at campaign stops. A statement says that the song was used “[w]ithout any regard for copyright or intellectual property laws” and “without permission” and that “the band has no intention […]
Phil Labonte of All That Remains on the Second Amendment and our right to bear arms
When PHILIP LABONTE, lead singer of ALL THAT REMAINS, wrote an Op-Ed for AP on the right to bear arms, last week’s shooting in Colorado had not yet happened. The Op-Ed was set to run in an upcoming issue. However, in light of the horrific events, Labonte revised his column in order to address last week’s […]
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