The estate of deceased rock icon Jimi Hendrix is experiencing a lawsuit.
Karl Ferris, who photographed the cover of The Jimi Hendrix Experience’s 1967 debut “Are You Experienced,” has filed a lawsuit against a company billed as being owned and operated “by members of the Hendrix family,” alleging that the company jacked the photos that he took for the album.
In the suit, filed against Experience Hendrix, which licenses Hendrix-related material, and its affiliated company Authentic Hendrix, in federal court in California on Thursday, Ferris says that he shot numerous photographs which ultimately became the cover art and back cover art for the album ‘Are You Experienced.’” He asserts that he owns the exclusive rights, including copyrights, to the photos.
However, the suit says, Experience Hendrix and Authentic Hendrix “manufacture, market, sell, distribute and otherwise license Ferris imagery for use on record distribution, album covers, digital media, clothing and other merchandise. Based upon further information and belief, Defendants license these images with full knowledge that they belong to Ferris. ”
The suit goes on to allege that the defendants “regularly affix a copyright notice that is false such as ‘Authentic Hendrix’ and/or ‘Experience Hendrix’ to the merchandise and records that are distributed bearing the Ferris Intellectual Property.”
Alleging copyright infringement and other counts, the suit is asking for an injunction preventing future use of Ferris’ work, as well as an order for the “complete surrender of any and all merchandise, designs, plans, marketing materials, advertisements, conceptual, etc. featuring the Ferris Intellectual Property.”
Ferris is also seeking all profits from the allegedly infringing material, as well as damages.
TheWrap has reached out to Experience Hendrix for comment on the suit.
Pamela Chelin contributed to this report.