BEATALLICA's Web Site Goes Offline As Battle With BEATLES' Publishers Heats Up

BEATALLICA, the Internet sensation who combine the work of THE BEATLES with the sound of early METALLICA, have had their web site taken down by their ISP (Internet Service Provider) in connection with the recent "cease-and-desist" order that was sent to BEATALLICA's ISP courtesy of Sony/ATV Music Publishing (who own the rights to much of THE BEATLES' catalog). The web site will reportedly be down for at least the next 10 business days until BEATALLICA's counter-claim goes through. In addition, BEATALLICA's web site administrator has received a cease-and-desist notice that was similar to the one received by the group's ISP (ThePlanet.com) except that the new document includes a request for all hard and electronic copies of any music as well as an accounting of all sums received or earned in connection with the material.

Sony/ATV's order included a list of 17 BEATLES tunes that it claims the band has used without permission, including hits like "A Hard Day's Night" and "Ticket to Ride", as well as deeper album tracks like "Run for Your Life" and "Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey", according to OnMilwaukee.com.

The band and ThePlanet.com had complied by removing the content on its web site Beatallica.org and replacing it with a petition that it plans to forward to Sony Music.

Well over 2,000 people have already signed the petition, which was launched by U.K.-based BEATALLICA fan Sam Harris and asks, "We, the undersigned, request that Sony Music retract the cease-and-desist order placed on www.beatallica.org and www.beatallica.com and recognize the music of BEATALLICA as parody, which is legal in American law."

One fan who has made his support clear is METALLICA's Lars Ulrich.

"Yes, Lars Ulrich from METALLICA called me at home and we talked about the situation," BEATALLICA frontman Jaymz Lennfield (aka Michael "Tinker" Tierney) told OnMilwaukee.com. "He was very cool and the whole band has been extremely supportive. They're looking into how to best help us with the situation and any future situations. (DREAM THEATER drummer) Mike Portnoy started a forum on his site, too."

Lennfield says the actions aren't affecting the band's current status as a live act, and it isn't slowing down out of fear or cautiousness.

"In no way does all this crap affect live shows," he told OnMilwaukee.com. "We'll be bashing them out very soon. We look forward to 2005 as a fun year for us. We have a new tune ready to go; it's done and waiting for a secure home. We have material just waiting to be fleshed out and recorded for a follow up to 'The Gray Album'."

For more information, visit BEATALLICA's official message board at this location.