Grunge icon Evan Dando has begun legal action against General Motors, claiming that the firm used an unauthorised cover version of The Lemonheads’ ‘It’s A Shame About Ray’.
Evan Dando formed The Lemonheads in 1986, and is the only constant in the ever changing line up. In love with the hardcore buzz of groups such as Husker Du, Dando mixed this uncompromising sound with 60s bubblegum pop.
Earning underground acclaim the band were snapped up by a major label, propelling their 1992 album ‘It’s A Shame About Ray’ into the charts. An irreverent cover version of ‘Mrs Robinson’ became a bona fide crossover hit, with Evan Dando pushed into the role of pin up boy for the grunge era.
However it wasn’t to last. Evan Dando’s decline into drug abuse mirrored the fall of grunge, with The Lemonheads never again regaining their commercial nous. Famously, Dando had a truculent relationship with Kurt Cobain, with the singer recently blaming Courtney Love for causing friction between the two.
Click HERE for an in depth interview with Evan Dando!
After a period of working under his own name, the songwriter formed a new incarnation of The Lemonheads in 2005. Currently Evan Dando is working on an album of cover versions, which is rumoured to star super model Kate Moss.
The singer recently performed at The Great Escape in Brighton, and is preparing for a series of UK live dates.
Dando alleges that General Motors used an unauthorised cover version of his song ‘It’s A Shame About Ray’. The singer began legal proceedings at Los Angeles Federal Court, and is seeking unspecified damages.
General Motors have yet to comment on the claim, reports the BBC. Which is unsurprising really, as the firm are currently battling against severe cash flow problems. The firm employ tens of thousands across the world, but could face bankruptcy.
Hit hard by the credit crunch, General Motors could well become the biggest casualty of the ongoing financial crisis. Could Evan Dando push them over the edge? We’ll just have to wait and see…
