ROLLING STONES ACCUSED OF PLAGIARISM

Although most people might not have known he even exists before now, songwriter Sergio Garcia Fernandez, better known by his stage name Angelsang, has been praised for having the guts to take on one of the world’s biggest bands.

Fernandez has filed a lawsuit against the Rolling Stones in the state of Louisiana in the United States. He claims Mick Jagger and Keith Richards “misappropriated many of the recognizable and key protected elements.”

Two of his songs, 2006’s So Sorry and 2007’s Seed of God have been cited in the lawsuit.

Fernandez claims he gave a copy of his songs to an immediate family member of a member of The Rolling Stones. The family member confirmed receipt of it, but nothing ever came of it, until Fernandez heard the legendary rock band’s latest album and recognised not only vocal melodies similar to his, but also chord progressions and melodies.

The Rolling Stones aren’t strangers to lawsuits about plagiarism, but it’s usually the other way around. The Stones famously filed a lawsuit against the band The Verve because of an orchestral piece of music they say was used in the band’s breakout song Bitter Sweet Symphony.

Although Jagger and Richards won the case and have been receiving the royalties for more than 20 years already, they’ve signed over their rights to Richard Ashcroft, the lead singer and songwriter of The Verve recently.

Image credit: Just Luxe