Tom Petty Won’t Sue Red Hot Chili Peppers
Neil Strauss of Rolling Stone magazine caught up with Tom Petty for a Q&A and asked if he’s heard about how the Red Hot Chili Peppers song ‘Dani California’ sounds a lot like ‘Mary Jane’s Last Dance’. “Yes, I have. Everyone everywhere is stopping me,” Petty responded. “The truth is, I seriously doubt that there is any negative intent there. And a lot of rock & roll songs sound alike. Ask Chuck Berry. The Strokes took ‘American Girl’ [for their song ‘Last Nite’], and I saw an interview with them where they actually admitted it. That made me laugh out loud. I was like, ‘OK, good for you’. It doesn’t bother me.” As for reports he might sue the Peppers, Petty said, “If someone took my song note for note and stole it maliciously, then maybe. But I don’t believe in lawsuits much. I think there are enough frivolous lawsuits in this country without people fighting over pop songs.”
The full story at rollingstone.com has since been removed.
