Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder has been sued by a Canadian singer/songwriter for changing the lyrics to a song that he wrote. According to the New York Post, Vedder cut a version of Gordon Peterson's tune "Hard Sun" for inclusion on the soundtrack of the 2007 Sean Penn-directed movie Into The Wild, but Peterson was not happy to hear that Vedder had altered the words in his recording. Peterson's lawsuit, filed in Manhattan federal court, states, "Vedder altered certain key lyrics of 'Hard Sun' . . . eroding the integrity of the composition."
Peterson also named Universal Music in his suit, claiming that the song was licensed without his permission. He is seeking all profits from the recording for the alleged "acts of infringement."
Vedder himself has not commented on the matter, but his lawyer, Gregory Clarick, said, "We don't see any basis for a copyright infringement claim."
Peterson's original version of "Hard Sun" appears on his 1989 album Big Harvest, which he recorded under the name Indio.
Pearl Jam released its latest album, Backspacer, in September.
Guns N' Roses and Jane's Addiction will perform together on the same bill at the Monumental Stadium Esplanade in Lima, Peru on March 25th, 2010. According to LivingInPeru.com, both bands will play complete, full-length sets to refute reports that Jane's Addiction was acting as support for Guns N' Roses. The show will conclude Guns' South American tour, which is expected to also hit Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Argentina and Uruguay, where the group will play for the first time ever on March 18th.
Peruvian businessman Alberto Menacho reportedly negotiated to have Guns finish its tour in Peru and to also have Jane's Addiction appear. Tickets go on sale in early January.
Guns N' Roses recently completed a short Asian jaunt and will begin a 13-date Canadian trek next month. The band has not booked any U.S. dates yet.
The current edition of Guns is touring behind its 2008 album, Chinese Democracy, which was released 17 years after the last all-original Guns sets, Use Your Illusion I and II.
Jane's Addiction reunited in late 2008 and played a few low-key gigs before embarking this past summer on a co-headlining run with Nine Inch Nails. The band has not announced any intentions to record a new album.