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Backstreet Boys Take on Jive

Group files a $75 million suit against label's parent company




Black and blue



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The Backstreet Boys have filed a $75 million lawsuit against Zomba Recording Corporation, the company that operates their label Jive Records, also home to 'N Sync and Britney Spears.
The suit, filed on November 25th in U.S. District Court the Southern District of New York, alleges that Zomba held up the release of the band's fourth album, which was due to the label on April 30, 2002. Upon delivery, the label was to pay the band a $5 million advance. The band also claims that, as a result of not having a new album to promote, they were unable to tour and thus lost millions in revenue.

According to the Backstreet Boys' suit, the label used contractual loopholes to prevent the band from making the April due date and collecting the advance for what would have been the follow-up to 2000's Black and Blue. Under a stipulation in the Backstreet Boys' contract, the label has to approve the songs recorded and the producers used before the group can turn in an album. The Backstreet Boys maintain that Zomba refused to participate in the decision-making process surrounding the album, causing the delay.

An additional stipulation stated that all five members of the Backstreet Boys must be involved in the recording of the album for the band to receive the advance. The Backstreet Boys maintain that Zomba used that clause as a loophole, engaging BSB member Nick Carter in the work and promotion for a solo album, preventing him from working with the Backstreet Boys. The BSBs further charged that by demanding that Nick Carter's solo release, Now or Never, take precedence over the BSB album, the label prevented Carter from fulfilling his own contractual obligation to the band, which takes precedence over any other projects. The band also charges Zomba with using the Backstreet Boys' name to promote the Nick Carter album, citing the advertisements posted on www.backstreetboys.com.

"We are committed to the Backstreet Boys, and we will protect our group from anybody or anything that tries to break us apart," the band said in a joint statement. "We are disappointed that our longtime label Jive Records has attempted to irresponsibly exploit our group. The five of us are writing for our new CD and setting concert dates for our upcoming worldwide summer tour."

Calls to Zomba Entertainment Group's attorney had not been answered by press time.

In related news, Bertelsmann Entertainment Group announced today that its BMG music division has purchased Zomba. The $2.74 billion deal now links Zomba to Arista, J Records and RCA.

CHRISTINA SARACENO
(November 26, 2002)


this caught my eye when i was on www.rollingstone.com

ManSlippers

yeah...if they didnt spend all their money on drugs and alcohol they wouldn't be flat broke and hard-up for money.

BeBritney

Well that sucks. Jive...*shakes head*

Errick

Jive sucks ass. *makes a little smilie*

ManSlippers

Backstreet Suit Claims Boys Were Bypassed In Favor Of Nick Carter
2 hours, 43 minutes ago


(11/26/02, 6 p.m. ET) -- The Backstreet Boys are suing Zomba Recording Corporation, the parent company of the group's label, Jive Records, claiming a fourth studio album was bypassed in favor of the solo project by group member Nick Carter.


Backstreet Boys (news - web sites) Inc. (BBI) and Backstreet Productions, Inc., both of Delaware and conducting business in Los Angeles and New York, filed the lawsuit Monday (November 25) in U.S. District Court in New York.


The lawsuit accuses Zomba of not fulfilling a contractual obligation when the group was ready to deliver a new album in April 2002, and also refusing to pay advances due with the delivery of the album.


The group claims it attempted to consult with the company over a selection of songs and producers, but Zomba refused to participate and rejected "artistic decisions." In lieu of a fourth album from the group, the record company chose to develop, produce, and promote the solo recording of Backstreet member Carter, the lawsuit says.


The group also asserts it has sold 65 million albums worldwide and has received too little of the revenue from product sales.


The Backstreet Boys companies are asking for damages to proof at trial for at least $75 million, plus additional damages from breach of contract and wrongful conduct, as well as all court costs, attorney's fees, plus further relief as deemed proper by the court.


A statement issued by the group said: "We are committed to the Backstreet Boys, and we will protect our group from anybody or anything that tries to break us apart. We are disappointed that our longtime label Jive Records has attempted to irresponsibly exploit our group. The five of us are writing for our new CD and setting concert dates for our upcoming worldwide summer tour."


The lawsuit was filed in the name of all five Backstreet Boys: Kevin S. Richardson, Brian Thomas Littrell, Nick Carter (news), Howard Dorough, and Alexander J. "A.J." McLean, who state they met and formed the group in 1993.


Representatives for Zomba Recording Corporation have 20 days from the date of filing to respond to the lawsuit. The company was sold Tuesday (November 26) to German media conglomerate Bertelsmann AG (news - web sites) (BMG) for $2.74 billion.


-- Darryl Morden, Los Angeles

ForeverInLoveWithJus

I think BSB's days are over now..

Liizu

JIVE's stupid.

Lenghthen

BSB was over like shortly after they released "Black and Blue". I love them and everything...but it is time to move on...

Nanny

What the fuck are they talking about 4th album??? If I'm not mistaken Black & Blue was their fourth album. *goes and looks at sisters CD collection*.... Yes. I have five Backstreet boys albums in my hand.
1. Backstreet Boys
2. Backstreet's Back (A little conceited there?!?!)
3. Millennium
4. Black and Blue
5. Chapter One The Hits

EDIT- Nevermind above post... hehe... I forgot they never released their first CD in the US.

Nanny

I agree. let Nick take the reigns now... he's 100x better than BSB ever were.