Courtney Love Next to Challenge Recording Industry

In a counter-suit filed against UMG Recording, Inc. (Universal Music Group) and Geffen, Inc., Courtney Love accuses the record label of corrupt business practices and unrealistic contracts. The suit was filed in response to UMG's suit against Love, which asserts that Love's band, Hole, did not fulfill its contractual obligation to produce 7 albums over the course of 7 years. Love has commented publicly that the PR demands and other obligations placed on the band by the recording company made the production of 7 new albums an impossibility.

Love's suit is attacking the very foundation of the music industry and is targeting the means through which record labels have traditionally signed performers to long-term and, many would argue unfair, contracts. Courtney is confident that she is going to be a much bigger problem than Napster ever dreamed of. In a recent interview with the Los Angeles Times, Love expounded on the situation, "I could end up being the music industry's worst nightmare: a smart gal with a fat bank account who is unafraid to go down in flames fighting for a principle."

Courtney's fight seems to be more about what is right than what she stands to gain from the proceedings. She matter-of-factly added to reporters, "Look, you show a music industry contract to any attorney in any other business and their jaw just hits the floor. Somebody has to put a stop to this crap." Now that the gloves appear to be off, this fight should get extremely interesting.