Axl Rose is taking his former Guns N' Roses bandmates to court to stop their back catalogue being sold commercially.
The rocker filed court papers on Friday (03.03.06) to gain 'ownership of all creative works' by the band.
The move comes after former guitarist Slash and ex-bassist Michael 'Duff' McKagan filed a lawsuit in August, accusing the flame-haired singer of trying to cheat them out of royalties.
Slash and Duff, now members of Velvet Revolver, alleged that Axl's 'arrogance and ego' kept them from receiving their fair share of a multimillion-dollar publishing deal he signed with Sanctuary Group.
But Axl's lawyer, Howard Weitzman, says the two rockers want to commercially exploit the Guns N' Roses' hits they played on - which include 'Welcome to the Jungle' and 'Sweet Child O' Mine' - as if it were 'fast food for anyone willing to pay for it'.
Weitzman said: 'Axl has at all times worked diligently to maintain the artistic integrity of the band by choosing with great care which properties to license Guns N' Roses songs to and refusing to participate in what he believed were potentially embarrassing projects.
'He believes that once apprised of the true facts the Judge or Jury deciding these lawsuits will rule in Axl's favour on every issue before them.'
The flame-haired rocker is reportedly planning to release a new Guns N' Roses album, entitled 'Chinese Democracy', this year with a new line-up.
Copyright 2006 BANG Media International
USA
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