First Vampire Weekend, now Dido–call this Round 2 in the album covers wars.
Astronaut Bruce McCandless II was photographed on a spacewalk in 1984. Singer Dido used that photograph 24 years later on the cover of her 2008 Safe Trip Home album. Now McCandless is suing not only the singer, but also Getty Images and Sony Records for “unspecified damages.”
Although the image is teeny tiny, McCandless says that he is still identifiable and that since he has “licensed his persona” to companies in the past, Dido’s use of the image without payment essentially brought down the price he can charge–his “endorsement value.”
Or so the lawsuit alleges. Since Dido’s Safe Trip Home was a huge success overseas, McCandless could be walking away very well compensated if he wins his lawsuit. (via the Guardian)
