Pop star Eddy Grant threatens to sue Gorillaz for 'blatant rip-off'

Published on Monday 15 March 2010 20:14

POP star Eddy Grant is considering legal action after claiming that Damon Albarn's outfit Gorillaz has ripped off one of his tracks.

The Electric Avenue singer claims that the new Gorillaz' song Stylo infringes the copyright of his 1977 track Time Warp.

Grant, 62, who shares the same music publisher as Gorillaz, has called for the band to give him a full credit and apologise.

He accused Gorillaz of making a "blatant rip off", saying: "Time Warp is a very popular song and has been a staple of the DJ scene for many years and I feel total disrespect from Gorillaz and their management company, especially as they are an established act."

Grant said he was "very angry" that the issue "was not picked up by our mutual publisher EMI's administration division".

Representatives for Grant have hired a musicologist to assess the tracks. A spokeswoman for Gorillaz made no comment.

EMI Music Publishing said: "This is a private matter between Eddy Grant and Gorillaz."