IRON MAIDEN Respond To Songwriting Credit Lawsuit Filed By Former Singer DENNIS WILLCOCK
August 5, 2018, 6 years ago
It was recently reported that Iron Maiden are being sued for more than £2 million for allegedly stealing some of their biggest-selling songs, according to The Sun.
A High Court writ says the metal band ripped off lyrics in six tracks. Former Iron Maiden singer Dennis Willcock says he wrote five and musician Terry Wilson-Slesser claims his lyrics for 70s group Beckett were used on a sixth.
The songs Willcock claims to have written are "Prowler", "Charlotte The Harlot", "Phantom Of The Opera", "Iron Maiden" and "Prodigal Son" which were released by the group on their first two records 1980 - 81. Wilson-Slesser says he co-wrote lyrics to a 1974 song called "A Rainbow's Gold" lifted by Maiden for their 1982 anthem "Hallowed Be Thy Name". Named defendants are Maiden’s chief songwriter and bass player Steve Harris, guitarist Dave Murray and their publishing company Imagem.
According to the UK's Ham & High, Iron Maiden has responded to the allegations, insisting they did nothing wrong and that Dennis Willcock had almost nothing to do with the lyrics for "Charlotte The Harlot".
Since it first appeared on the band’s eponymous 1980 album, the song has been solely credited to the band’s guitarist Dave Murray. Hampstead rock agent Barry McKay has accused Iron Maiden of nicking the song’s words from Willcock, which they deny. In a formal written response to the legal action, they claim founder Steve Harris, not Willcock, actually penned the lyrics in question.
Documents served to the High Court by Murray, Harris and publisher Imagem state: “The lyrics for (the song) were written by Mr. Harris in or around 1977 to accompany music written by Mr. Murray, who had joined Iron Maiden in late 1976.”
In defence papers, Iron Maiden also question whether Mr Willcock can remember writing them. It says: “[He] was, when he was a member of Iron Maiden, notorious for forgetting lyrics for the band’s songs, or missing out words, or singing the wrong words. He [...] even had to sing from lyric sheets at live performances. Accordingly it is implausible that Mr Willcock can now remember lyrics he allegedly wrote some 40 years ago.”
Read more about the case at The Sun.
