Just one year after his successful lawsuit against Volkswagen-Audi in Spain, Tom Waits has successfully prevented another car manufacturer from impersonating the legendary – and distinctive – singer for a commercial. In this latest case, he filed suit against General Motors’ Opel and the advertising agency McCann Erickson in Frankfurt, Germany last year.

The judgement is the latest in a line of successful legal actions the fiercely independent Waits has taken to prevent his music and image from being associated with commercial products. Waits’s first lawsuit was filed in 1988 against Frito Lay, and resulted in a US$2.6 million judgment in his favor. That company had approached Waits to use one of his songs in an advertisement. Waits declined the offer, and Frito Lay hired a Waits soundalike to sing a jingle similar to Small Change’s “Step Right Up”, which is, ironically, a song Waits has called “an indictment of advertising.

He famously condemned musicians who used songs in commercials, saying: “If Michael Jackson wants to work for Pepsi, why doesn’t he just get himself a suit and an office in their headquarters and be done with it.”

As for this case, Waits noted:

I’m glad to be out of the car sales business once and for all.

Waits will donate his net settlement proceeds to an unnamed charity.
Read more at: http://www.punknews.org/article/21912. Continue reading Tom Waits wins another “sound-alike” case →

Recent Fearless signing, Mayday Parade have begun documenting their ongoing recording work with producers Kenneth Mount and Zack Odom (Cartel, All Time Low).

Just wanted to give a quick update…we started pre-production for our new record yesterday in Atlanta, GA…we’re really excited to be working with Zack Odom and Kenneth Mount! We’ll be doing pre-production this week, then we’ll actually start tracking the record this weekend. We’ll be in the good ol’ ATL until February 17 working on the record, so we plan on keeping you guys updated with photos and video blogs from the studio, so keep checkin’ back!

Further updates are expected on their Myspace page.

The band made their Fearless debut with the EP, Tales Told By Dead Friends on November 7th, 2006.
Read more at: http://www.punknews.org/article/21911. Continue reading Mayday Parade blog from the studio →

Sinking Ships have announced a series of tour dates in February and March. The Revelation hardcore act will be supporting Disconnecting with Gracer, Ruiner, Hour of the Wolf and more.

Read more at: http://www.punknews.org/article/21910. Continue reading Tours: Sinking Ships to tour with Gracer / Hour of the Wolf, Ruiner →