Blind Melon launch copyright infringement lawsuit over No Rain song

Rockers Blind Melon have launched a copyright infringement lawsuit against singer Mandy Jiroux.
The bandmates claim they gave Jiroux permission to cover their hit No Rain, but she instead used elements of the track to record her own tune, titled Insane.
“(This is) a somewhat unique case where substantial and verbatim copying is not disputed, but Defendants will claim that they had a license to incorporate substantial portions of Blind Melon’s most successful song No Rain into the Infringing Works,” the suit reads.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Jiroux’s manager Kenneth Komisar contacted Blind Melon’s manager Keith Isola in May (16) and explained his client had recorded a cover of No Rain.
“Smith, having not yet heard the Infringing Works, believed the new work (also then entitled No Rain) was simply a cover, and thus responded that Jiroux did not need permission to simply ‘cover’ the work so long as it was properly registered with the publisher,” the suit continues.
However, after hearing the track, the band concluded the song was not a cover and decided not to license, take co-writer credits, or collect a portion of the publishing money. Komisar was reportedly informed in June (16) and the parties had a conference call in which the group told him it was not no longer going to grant permission for the song to be licensed.
However, the song was subsequently released and Jiroux previously claimed on iHeartRadio Blind Melon “loved the song so much I’m the only artist that they’ve ever let use that classic hook.
Now, the group is suing Jiroux for wilful infringement and is seeking a permanent injunction, profits from the Insane song and damages.
“This publicity and unauthorized use has done significant damage to No Rain and has severely damaged the copyright, by now essentially eliminating any prospect that a major artist will actually license it for a major release,” the complaint reads.