As The Sun reports, metal band Iron Maiden is being sued by their ex-singer Dennis Willcock and musician Terry Wilson-Slesser for over $2 million, claiming that they ripped off lyrics on six of their tracks.
Willcock claims that he wrote five of the tracks and Wilson-Slesser claims his lyrics for ’70s group Beckett were used on a sixth.
The named defendants in the lawsuit are Iron Maiden’s main songwriter and bass player Steve Harris, guitarist Dave Murray and Imagem, their publishing company.
Dennis Willcock left the group in 1978, and has claimed that he never knew his lyrics were used because he never listened to Iron Maiden’s albums – which they have sold more than 100 million of.
The songs that Willcock claims to have penned are ‘Prowler’, ‘Charlotte the Harlot’, ‘Phantom of the Opera’, ‘Iron Maiden’, and ‘Prodigal Son’ which were released by Iron Maiden on their first two records. Wilson-Slesser says he co-wrote the lyrics to ‘Rainbow’s Gold’ in 1974, which was lifted by Iron Maiden for their 1982 track ‘Hallowed Be Thy Name’.
According to The Sun, An Iron Maiden spokesperson has said: “This is outrageous. Absolutely ridiculous.”
This news comes after they only recently settled their last similar lawsuit in March.
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