BENTON – Silver Creek Saloon on Mascoutah Street in Belleville is accused of infringing on musical copyrights, according to Broadcast Music Inc. and owners of songs ranging from Bee Gees to Lady Gaga.
They sued saloon owners James Sinovic Jr., Jeff Butzinger, Jonathan Vieluf, and Ryan Loeffler in U. S. district court on Jan. 10.
On behalf of the plaintiffs, attorney Noah Menold of Peoria claimed that specific acts of the saloon and its entire course of conduct caused great and incalculable damage.
He claimed Broadcast Music Inc., or BMI, has been granted the right to license public performance rights in more than 20 million copyrighted compositions.
Menold added that BMI reached out to the defendants more than 60 times, “to educate defendants as to their obligations under the Copyright Act.”
He claimed BMI sent cease and desist letters.
“Unless this court restrains defendants from committing further acts of copyright infringement, plaintiffs will suffer irreparable injury for which they have no adequate remedy at law,” he wrote.
Sixteen publishers joined BMI’s suit as owners of copyrights to seven songs the saloon played on Jan. 25, 2020.
Menold listed them as "Fat Bottomed Girls," "I Wanna Dance with Somebody," "Jessie’s Girl," "Stayin’ Alive," "Bring Me to Life," "She’s Country," and "Bad Romance."
He attached a schedule of composers and publishers.
It showed Brian May wrote "Fat Bottomed Girls" and Beechwood Music publishes it.
George Merrill and Shannon Rubicam wrote "I Wanna Dance with Somebody," and Irving Music and Boy Meets Girl Music publishes it.
Richard Lewis Springthorpe, as Rick Springfield, wrote "Jessie’s Girl" and publishes it.
Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb wrote "Stayin’ Alive." Barry Gibb and estates of Maurice and Robin publish it.
Amy Lee, Ben Moody, and David Hodges wrote "Bring Me to Life."
Lee and Moody publish it as Zombies Ate My Publishing, Hodges publishes it as Forthefallen Publishing, and Reservoir One America publishes it.
Bridgette Tatum and Danny Myrick wrote "She’s Country," and Tatum publishes it as Cackalacki Twang. Soulride Music and Round Hill Works also publish it.
Stefani Germanotta and Nadir Khayat wrote "Bad Romance" as Lady Gaga and RedOne. House of Gaga Publishing, Songs of RedOne, and Sony/ATV Songs publish it.
The court clerk randomly assigned Magistrate Judge Reona Daly, who will preside unless a party declines consent to magistrate jurisdiction.
In that event the clerk would assign a district judge.