Lawsuit Bucks Frontman

A lawsuit between Buckcherry frontman Josh Todd and a former business partner has been winding its way through the courts for several years and, as of the last amendment in January, includes dozens of defendants.

In essence, Todd had a falling out with his former business partner Todd Meagher, who took their name-in-common to form a company called Todd Entertainment in 2002. Todd is suing Meagher, but it is Meagher’s cross-complaint that has drawn the media attention. It claims he invested significant funds into Todd’s career, giving the singer a monthly stipend of $4,000 in the early days and Todd eventually asked for $10,000 a month for expenses.

Meagher’s cross-complaint as amended names more than 20 parties including Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group and Atlantic Recording Corporation, as well as Buckcherry’s management and agency, 10th Street Entertainment and The Kirby Organization. It also includes as individual’s TKO’s Dave Kirby and Andrew Goodfriend as well as the band’s manager, Katie McNeil.

"In this business, you know you’re really succeeding when people start suing you," Kirby joked to Pollstar. He characterized the suit as a classic "shotgun" lawsuit, assuming that Meagher expects somebody will write him a check to make him go away.

Meagher alleges breach of contract and interference in business dealings by third parties and is seeking an injunction to keep Buckcherry from recording and touring unless the operating agreement with Todd Entertainment is honored.

The countersuit also alleges that Todd made purchases on Meagher’s personal credit card without permission; disparaged Todd Entertainment to other companies like JVC, which derailed negotiations; conspired with various third parties to deprive the company of its rights and is writing and performing in Buckcherry in violation of terms he and Meagher agreed upon.

Kirby characterized Meagher and Todd’s business relationship as "an unbelievably abusive agreement that won’t stand up for five minutes in court" and said there’s already an injunction nullifying the agreement. His lawyers have responded to the suit and he said attorneys for Atlantic have dismissed both Meagher and the suit, telling Meagher "he has no rights to anything."

Attorney Skip Miller, who represents McNeil and 10th Street, was even more succinct.

"It’s a completely bogus lawsuit with no basis in the facts or in the law," Miller told Pollstar. "We believe we’re going to prevail very quickly."