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White Stripes Defeat Royalty Lawsuit

It took a federal jury only 20 minutes to decide that The White Stripes do not own former producer/sound mixer Jim Diamond a penny. Diamond had sued the band, claiming that he played a "pivotal rule" in creating the duo's signature, stripped-down sound and trying to collect royalties on all of their work. Diamond was paid $35 an hour for serving as co-producer on the Stripes' self-titled debut, and worked as a sound mixer on De Stijl.

The trial was highlighted by Jack White's own colorful testimony, which centered around a notorious incident in which he punched out Von Bondies frontman Jason Stollsteimer at a club in 2003. Stollsteimer testified that he was also the victim of bizarre harassment, and that White had stuck a profanity-filled note to his door with a knife, a charge that White dismissed as a "laughable lie."

White's fight with Stollsteimer resurfaced as part of an attempt to portray White as a man with a history of threatening his associates. Diamond, too, said that he'd been bullied by White, who allegedly threatened to ruin the producer's career if he went forward with his suit. White clarified that he'd said only that Diamond would likely ruin his reputation by pushing the case into court.

Meg White had Jack's back (as usual) and appeared in court to say that Diamond really didn't do much during the making of either of the band's early albums.

Outside the courtroom, White expressed his relief to reporters, noting that "you never know what's going to happen in a trial." Diamond and his attorneys were not available for comment.

--The ARTISTdirect Staff
06.15.06