The great Tom Waits wins a court case against VW-Audi

4 February 2006

The great Tom Waits wins a court case against VW-Audi

VW-Audi was found to have breached his copyright by using an impersonator to perform a version of
Innocent When You Dream in an advert, Barcelona Appeal Court said.

Tom Waits has a distinctive gravel voice. From closing time to Alice it has been described as
"like it was soaked in a vat of bourbon, left hanging in the smokehouse for a few months and then
taken outside and run over with a car." Waits also has some credibility and has never allowed his
music to be used by corporations.

Any readers must listen to him. Waits' spokesman said he received "several thousand euros"
compensation from the car firm and advert producer.

The Barcelona court upheld the artist's moral rights. Thereby protecting his professional
reputation and dignity. Spanish production company Tandem Campany Guasch had initially sought
permission from Waits to use his original version of the song, which he refused.

"Now they understand the words to the song better, it wasn't Innocent When You Scheme, it was
Innocent When You Dream………..Waits said.” He is also suing General Motors as well as McCann
Erickson.

Michael Coyle