Run-DMC
Photo: Sony

On Friday, attorneys representing the Knack's Doug Fieger and Berton Averre — songwriters of the 1979 chart-topping hit "My Sharona" — filed a copyright-infringement lawsuit in Los Angeles against the members of Run-DMC, claiming the rappers did not have permission to sample the song's core riff in one of their most recognizable tracks, "It's Tricky."

The filing — which also names Rick Rubin (who produced the cut for 1986's Raising Hell), Arista Records, Rush Groove Music, Rush Communications, online music retailers Yahoo, Amazon, Napster, iTunes and others as defendants — claims that Run-DMC engaged in the "unauthorized copying, reproduction and distribution of [the Knack's] musical composition and improperly [profiting from]" use of the sample, which the suit claims was "willfully, or with reckless disregard, unlawfully appropriated."

The document asserts that, because of Run-DMC's sampling of "My Sharona," Fieger and Averre have "suffered actual damages, including lost profits, lost opportunities, loss of goodwill, lost publicity, attorneys' fees and interest." The suit seeks unspecified damages and related legal fees, and characterizes the "signature" riff sampled in "It's Tricky" as "the essence" of the song.

In addition, the suit requests a permanent injunction barring the sale, reproduction, and commercial release of "It's Tricky," and suggests that Fieger or Averre's "percentage of ownership in ['It's Tricky']" be determined and factored into a declaratory judgment — which should also consider what profits the pair are due from the sale of the Run-DMC song.

"Our clients created a unique and distinctive musical composition in 'My Sharona,' " attorney Dick Schultz said. "Others shouldn't be allowed to profit from the unauthorized use of that creation. That is what copyright laws are for, and we are protecting our clients' rights in their creation."

"That [riff] is not only the essence of 'My Sharona,' it is one of the most recognizable sounds in rock and roll," said Fieger through his lawyers.

Despite the popularity of the riff, some may wonder why Fieger and Averre waited two decades to take action against the hip-hop icons. The lawsuit claims the pair never heard the DMC classic before 2005.

No date has been set for the first hearing in the action. Representatives for Run-DMC were unavailable for comment at press time.

• Run-D.M.C.
• The Knack

Benzino
Photo: Elektra

The New Releases column is back from vacation and ready to get down to business. Unfortunately we can't say the same thing about new releases themselves. At least, not yet.

The year is off to a relatively slow start, but a new Benzino album, the "Chicago" soundtrack and even the "Kangaroo Jack" soundtrack kick this week off and prepare us for what's to come in the weeks ahead.

After the much-publicized feud between Benzino and Eminem, it's time for Redemption, featuring Benzino's challenge to Marshall, "Pull Up Your Skirt."

"Chicago" features songs from the movie as performed by the cast — Richard Gere, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Renée Zellweger and Queen Latifah — and guests Lil' Kim, Macy Gray and Anastacia, while "Kangaroo Jack" — the film with the untouchable combination of the Mafia, Australia and a B-Boy marsupial — boasts Shaggy, Lil' Romeo and Paulina Rubio on its soundtrack.

Out Tuesday, January 14:

• Belles - Omerta (Lakeshore)
• Benzino - Redemption (Elektra)
  Read: "Benzino Calls Eminem 'The Rap Hitler,' Says There's No Beef"
• Blackout - Stop That Clock (Tombstone)
• Terence Blanchard - "25th Hour" soundtrack (Hollywood)
• Blue Largo - Still in Love With You (Coffee Grind)
• Boptails - Back (Tombstone)
• Peggy Britt - Silhouette (Nabi)
• C-Bo - C-Bo Mob Figaz (West Coast Mafia)
• Terri Clark - Pain to Kill (Universal)
• Taylor Dayne - Performance (Cleopatra)
• Defleshed - Death the High Cost of Living (reissue, Crash)
• Demented Are Go - Live in Japan (Tombstone)
• Dionysus - Sign of Truth (The End)
• DJ Me DJ You - Can You Feel the Music (Eenie Meenie)
• Dr. Feelgood Potts - Dr. Feelgood Potts (Ecko)
• Dumper - Dumper (Black Mark)
• Earth Wind & Fire - Live in Rio (Kalimba)
• Edguy - Mandrake (The End)
• Kathleen Edwards - Failer (Rounder)
• Electric Shocks - Baby What's Your Plan (EP, Vinyl Japan)
• Aengus Finnan - North Wind (Borealis)
• Fishbelly Black - Crusader (Liquid 8)
• Fist - Back With a Vengeance: The Fist Anthology (Castle/Navarre)
• Foggy Mountain Rockers - Dice in Flames (Tombstone)
• Frantic Flintstones - Flesh N Fantasy: My Woman Is a Leach (Tombstone)
• Garrison - Model (Iodine)
• Gathering - Black Light District (The End)
• Gordian Knot - Emergent (Sensory)
• Gospel Gangstaz - All Mixed Up (Acts 26)
• Gospel Gangstaz - Do or Die (Acts 26)
• Gospel Gangstaz - Gang Affiliated (Acts 26)
• Halogens - Resolution (Simba)
• Hellboys - Mutant Love (Revel Yell)
• Hellmaniacs - Somewhere in Our Minds (Tombstone)
• High Score - Sexy Losers (Lynn Point)
• House of Heroes - What You Want Is Now (Acts 26)
• Insyderz - Fight of My Life (Acts 26)
• Internal Bleeding - Voracious Contempt (Crash Music)
• Spike Jones - Fonk (Harlequin)
• Klingonz - Ghastly Things (Rumbl)
• The Knack - Re-Zoom (Image Entertainment)
• Kreator - Coma of Souls (Noise/Navarre)
• Lil Cuete - There's Only One Way Around It (East Side/Navarre)
• Lil Mac - From the Cracks to the Stacks (Lock Down)
• Gary Lucas - The Edge of Heaven (Label Bleu)
• Luciano - Serve Jah (VP)
• Luxt - American Beast (Blackliner)
• Mary Janes - Flame (Flat Earth)
• Meantraitors - Meantraitors From Psychobilly Land (Tombstone)
• Mental Hospital - Intellectual Action (Tombstone)
• Michael Hill's Blues Mob - Electric Storyland Live (Ruf)
• Mighty Diamonds - Revolution (NYC Music)
• Bill Monroe - Blue Moon of Kentucky 1936-49 (box set, Bear Family)
• Montefiore Cocktail - Re-Shaken: The Remix Album Project (Varese)
• The Moon - Matthew Moore Project (Rev-Ola)
• Moral Crux - Pop Culture Assassins (Lookout!)
• Mystro Clark - Sexy Funny Bastard (Uproar)
• Aaron Neville - Love Songs (Interscope)
• Nicole - Following His Hand (Acts 26)
• Numbskulls - Life in Limbo (Tombstone)
• Mark O'Conner's Hot Swing Trio - In Full Swing (Odyssey)
• Open Hand - Dream (Trustkill)
• P. Paul Fenech - Fenechaphobia (Anag Psych)
• Phantom Rockers - Shag-Squirt (Tombstone)
• Punishers - Beat Me (Rumbl)
• Quakes - Quiff Rock (Tombstone)
• Radiacs - Going Strong (Tombstone)
• Rapiers - Spotlight on the Rapiers (Fury)
• Rats - After All This Time (Tombstone)
• Rattlers - Never a Lost Moment (Tombstone)
• Redrum 781 - Fresh Off Lock (Tone City)
• Relentless Family - Do What You Do (Relentless)
• Royal Beat Conspiracy - Dig It (Bad Afro)
• Scenic - Acid Gospel Experience (Hidden Agenda)
• Scum Rats - Live at the Big Rumble (Rumbl)
• Shut Em Down Family - From the Ghetto (Shut Em Down)
• Spades - Learnin' the Hard Way Not to F--- With (Suburban)
• Spawn of Possession - Cabinet (Unique Leader)
• Sunshine Company - Sunshine Company (Rev-Ola)
• Sweatmaster - Sharp Cut (Bad Afro)
• Symphorce - Phorceful Ahead (Metal Blade)
• Tankard - B-Day (The End)
• Tin Cans - Pain of Society (Tombstone)
• Tin Cans - Speak Easy (Tombstone)
• Townes Van Zandt - Flyin' Shoes (Tomato Music)
• Joe Turner - Shake Rattle & Roll (Tomato Music)
• Cliff Waldron - Little Ways Down the Road (Rebel)
• Paul Weller - Illumination (Yep Roc)
• Widowmaker - Straight-Faced Fighters (Castle/Navarre)
• Wild Bunch - Back to the Filthies (Tombstone)
• Wreckin' Ball - Lords of the Dead (Tombstone)
• Yidcore - The Great Chicken Soup Caper (EP, Swell)
• Various artists - Area Codes (Southern Vibe)
• Various artists - Bluegrass for the Soul (CMH)
• Various artists - "Chicago" soundtrack (Sony)
  Read: 'Chicago' Soundtrack Has Latifah, Lil' Kim But Not Janet"
• Various artists - "City of God" soundtrack (Milan)
• Various artists -Come on Daddy (El Toro)
• Various artists - "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind" soundtrack (Domo)
• Various artists - Dancefloor Tribute to Madonna (Vitamin)
• Various artists - "Debbie Does Dallas" soundtrack (SH-K Boom)
• Various artists - Essential Chill Out Sessions (:\ run)
• Various artists - Freestyle Heaven (box set, SPG)
• Various artists - "Kangaroo Jack" soundtrack (Hip-O)
• Various artists - Liquid Lounge (Varese)
• Various artists - Lookout Freakout 3 (Lookout!)
• Various artists - Raw Records: Punk Singles Collection (Cherry Red)
• Various artists - Tribute to the Goo Goo Dolls (Big Eye)
• Various artists - Tribute to Madonna: Virgin Voices (Cleopatra)
• Various artists - Tribute to Nelly (Big Eye)
• Various artists - Tribute to P. Diddy (Big Eye)
• Various artists - Tribute to Usher (Big Eye)
• Various artists - Punk Singles Collection Vol. 1 (Red Cherry)
• Various artists - Smash Up Derby (Gearhead)

January 21:

• Groove Armada - Love Box (Jive)
• The Sea and Cake - One Bedroom (Thrill Jockey)
• Unwritten Law - Music in High Places (Lava)

January 28:

• Erasure - Other People's Songs (Mute)

February 4:

• Jars of Clay - Furthermore: From the Studio to the Stage (BMG)
• Pet Shop Boys - Disco 3 (EP, Sanctuary)
• Various artists - "Daredevil" soundtrack (Wind-Up)

February 11:

• Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Nocturama (Epitaph)
• Massive Attack - 100th Window (Virgin)
• John Mayer - Any Given Thursday (Sony)
• Various artists - We're a Happy Family: A Tribute to the Ramones (Sony)

February 18:

• R. Kelly - Chocolate Factory (Jive)

February 25:

• Third Eye Blind - Crystal Baller (Elektra)

• Benzino
• The Knack
• Aaron Neville
• Madonna