Drummer Richard Reinhardt has filed suit against a number of digital retailers claiming that the companies lack permission to sell downloads of songs he wrote for the Ramones. The former Richie Ramone claims that his music publisher never had the right to authorize distribution of the six songs he contributed to the pioneering punk band’s catalogue. The suit names the estate of late guitarist Johnny Ramone, Ramones Productions Inc, and their music publisher as defendants alongside digital retailers Apple, Wal-Mart, and RealNetworks. Reuters is reporting that Reinhardt is seeking at least $900,000 in damages, all profits the defendants made from the songs, and a permanent injunction prohibiting the defendants from using the songs in the future.

Richie joined the band for the Subterranean Jungle tour of 1983 and stayed with the band through three studio albums and nearly 500 live shows, parting ways with the group in 1987. The songs he wrote included “Humankind” (from Too Tough to Die), “Smash You” (the b-side to the “Howling at the Moon (Sha-La-La)” single), “Somebody Put Something in My Drink” (from Animal Boy), “(You) Can’t Say Anything Nice” (the b-side to the “Somebody Put Something in My Drink” single), “I’m Not Jesus,” and “I Know Better Now” (both from Halfway to Sanity). He sang lead vocals on “(You) Can’t Say Anything Nice.”
Source Drummer Richard Reinhardt has filed suit against a number of digital retailers claiming that the companies lack permission to sell downloads of songs he wrote for the Ramones. The former Richie Ramone claims that his music publisher never had the right to authorize distribution of the six songs he contributed to the pioneering punk band’s catalogue. The suit names the estate of late guitarist Johnny Ramone, Ramones Productions Inc, and their music publisher as defendants alongside digital retailers Apple, Wal-Mart, and RealNetworks. Reuters is reporting that Reinhardt is seeking at least $900,000 in damages, all profits the defendants made from the songs, and a permanent injunction prohibiting the defendants from using the songs in the future.

Richie joined the band for the Subterranean Jungle tour of 1983 and stayed with the band through three studio albums and nearly 500 live shows, parting ways with the group in 1987. The songs he wrote included “Humankind” (from Too Tough to Die), “Smash You” (the b-side to the “Howling at the Moon (Sha-La-La)” single), “Somebody Put Something in My Drink” (from Animal Boy), “(You) Can’t Say Anything Nice” (the b-side to the “Somebody Put Something in My Drink” single), “I’m Not Jesus,” and “I Know Better Now” (both from Halfway to Sanity). He sang lead vocals on “(You) Can’t Say Anything Nice.”
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