Legal Question in Entertainment Law in Virginia
Copyrights
I am a producer and use to work with a band. A couple of instrumentals i made were used by the band. Vocals were put to the instrumentals,thus making them songs, but the actual songs were never copywritten to anybody. The instrumentals are copywritten to me(with legal documenation from the United States Copyright Office). The band is no longer together but the songs with the instrumentals that i own are posted on a website, I no longer want the songs on the site, who has the legal right?
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: Copyrights
More information is needed to fully analyze your situation, but it appears you have the right to demand the website take down the music with your coyrighted instrumental. The author of the vocals would also have the right to demand that the music be removed. You may also have a right to damages for copyright infringement. Contact me if you would like to discuss this further - I have handled these types of situations in the past.