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The Rubinoos Sue Avril Lavigne Over "Girlfriend"

Tommy Dunbar, the founder of '70s power pop band the Rubinoos, is suing Avril Lavigne, claiming that her latest hit "Girlfriend" sounds way too much like his band's 1978 hit "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend." We listened to both and the similarities are pretty hard to miss, but Lavigne's manager, Terry McBride, CEO of the Nettwerk Music Group, tells Billboard that the suit has no basis. "There's nothing similar [between the two songs]," he says. "Our musicologist says there is no similarities of melody, choral progression or meter."

McBride added, however, that he would potentially settle the case out of court. "You are forced to consider doing this because American lawyers can do these cases on contingency. If I defend and win, it costs me $300,000 U.S. If I go to get my costs back, the other party declares bankruptcy. You end up footing the bill. Avril has insurance that covers off these sort of suits that are so prevalent in this business."

—The ARTISTdirect Staff
07.05.07