Warner Sued for $3.5 Million over Muse Allegedly Ripping Off Ideas for 'The Resistance'

BY Gregory AdamsPublished Sep 10, 2012

Prog-tinged UK arena rockers Muse are getting set to release their next album The 2nd Law, but the band's attention is temporarily shifting backwards with news that their label Warner Bros. has been sued for $3.5 million by a songwriter who claims the group stole his ideas on their last set, 2009's The Resistance.

Last week, songwriter Charles Bolfrass filed a lawsuit against Warner in a Manhattan, NY federal court, claiming copyright infringement, unfair trade practices and unfair competition, reports Courthouse News [via NME].

In particular, Bolfrass says the act nicked his "cinematic science-fiction rock opera," titled "Exogenesis." Muse had issued a three-part suite on The Resistance under the same name.

According to Bolfrass, he had initially contacted the band in 2005 about writing a science fiction-themed rock opera that centred on the demise of the planet earth and space travel. While the band had apparently rejected his idea, Bolfrass claims they then revamped his theme for their tunes "Exogenesis: Symphony Part 1 (Overture)," "Exogenesis: Symphony Part 2 (Cross-Pollination)" and "Exogenesis: Symphony Part 3 (Redemption)."  

The liner notes in The Resistance lists Muse's mini song cycle as "a story of humanity coming to an end and everyone pinning their hopes on a group of astronauts who go out to explore space and spread humanity to another planet."

On top of the tunes, Bolfrass also claims that the group lifted the idea for The Resistance's artwork from a storyboard he had shown them.

Muse have yet to comment, but their new album hits store shelves October 2 through Helium 3/Warner Bros.

 

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