Ex-Bad Wolves frontman Tommy Vext (aka Thomas P. Cummings) has been hit with a lawsuit filed by the camp at his former label Better Noise Music. Five Nineteen Music Publishing Inc. and 10th Street Entertainment are also named as plaintiffs in the case.
Vext stands accused of infringing upon the label’s copyrights for posting unreleased music videos and recordings without the label and publisher’s permission. Vext exited Bad Wolves in January of this year and his relationship with his former bandmates has dramatically soured in the time since.
While Vext originally urged his fans not to bash his ex-bandmates, an ensuing legal war over unreleased recordings Vext created while under contract as a member of Bad Wolves for their new album and solo material of his own has seen him continually take shots at his former bandmates, calling them “fucking frauds“. Most recently Vext announced he would begin touring under the name of ‘TOMMY VEXT AND THE B@D W8LV3S.’
Vext‘s departure from Bad Wolves followed a string of controversial headlines regarding his beliefs in various conspiracy theories related to QAnon, COVID-19 and more. He also was taken to court in 2020 over domestic violence allegations made against him by a former girlfriend and was slapped with a two-year domestic violence related restraining order as a result.
He would go on to say that the ruling exonerated him of any physical abuse accusations. Vext also previously claimed the domestic violence lawsuit was part of an “extortion attempt”.
This past July Vext filed suit against Bad Wolves‘ manager & Better Noise Music Allen Kovac as well as Bad Wolves drummer John Boecklin and others, alleging that Kovac had orchestrated a campaign to have him booted from the band after having grown unhappy his continual expression of his right-wing and QAnon related beliefs on social media.
In that suit Vext alleged that Kovac had attempted to stop him from expressing his beliefs in that regard and allegedly made an offer to buy out Vext‘s stake in the Bad Wolves trademarks. Upon refusing to sell his stake, Vext alleges Kovac and his then bandmates began locking him out of official social media channels tied to the group and more. Vext also accused Kovac of using racial slurs to belittle him (claims Kovac denied).
Via the lawsuit Vext accused Kovac and co. of breach of fiduciary duty, unjust enrichment and more and is said to be seeking tens of millions of dollars in damages.
Vext has previously alleged that Better Noise Music has been holding three albums worth of material he wrote and recorded last year hostage unless he signs over his rights to the Bad Wolves name.
According to law360.com, the plaintiffs in this newly filed suit against Vext stated:
“Motivated by greed and his oversized ego, Vext claimed that he owns Bad Wolves and has a right to block the remaining members from recording and releasing music under the name Bad Wolves.”
The plaintiffs claim that Vext violated their copyrights in posting unapproved covers on the band’s Patreon amid the band’s COVID-19 downtime and still continues to post unauthorized content via his Instagram and OnlyFans. The plaintiffs also commented on Vext‘s most recent move to tour as ‘TOMMY VEXT AND THE B@D W8LV3S‘, offering:
“Vext‘s retaliatory conduct is getting worse by the day. Now, he is promoting his own ‘tour’ using the confusingly similar name ‘B@D W8LV3S’ in a blatant attempt to confuse concertgoers into thinking this is an approved tour.”
The plaintiffs further allege that Vext‘s behavior has been in violation of a written agreement both he and Bad Wolves co-founder signed in 2017. They allege that agreement gives them right to use the Bad Wolves trademark to market the band and ownership of their recordings and music videos.
Vext‘s attorney Malcolm S. McNeil told Law360 of this latest lawsuit:
“From the timing of the complaint, it is clear that the New York action is intended to deflect from the allegations in the LASC complaint. Our complaint was filed weeks ago and this was the response. Tommy was retaliated against by Mr. Kovac and his entities, for his political views. It is our view that Mr. Kovac breached his duties and responsibilities to Tommy as his manager.”
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