Label Sues FFDP

The lawsuit accuses the band of starting to work on a new album early without the label’s consent to cash in because of frontman Ivan Moody’s reported alcohol addiction and of holding back on putting out a greatest hits album, according to Blabbermouth.net.

FFDP responded with a statement saying the suit is just another of label CEO Jeff Kwatinetz’s usual tactics.

“Desperate people do desperate things. We are saddened, but not surprised, by the recent lawsuit filed by Prospect Park, LLC against the members of Five Finger Death Punch. It is the latest in a long line of exploitative and abusive bullying tactics used by our former manager and current label CEO Jeff Kwatinetz to extract money from and wield power against the band. Jeff Kwatinetz is well-known as a former music industry powerhouse whose erratic behavior and affiliated corporate bankruptcies have caused most of his companies’ clients, including Backstreet Boys, Korn, Smashing Pumpkins, Janes Addiction, and Azalea Banks [sic] to flee in droves.

“In fact, we also fired Prospect Park management four years ago in an effort to escape an arrangement that more resembled indentured servitude. Five Finger Death Punch’s recordings are now one of Prospect Park’s last remaining and most valuable assets still under contract.”

FFDP claims it is ready to deliver the final albums under its contract but that Prospect Park has chosen instead to sue the band.

“What’s worse is that Prospect Park very deliberately filed their meritless lawsuit the same week we are trying to put our Fall co-headlining arena tour on sale,” the statement says.

As for Moody, the band says his issues are no secret and were “recently and successfully addressed with the love and support of his family and bandmates in a rehabilitation facility. Never once did Prospect Park management or recordings support any efforts to get him sober, preferring the band continue making albums and touring.”

The statement concludes by saying FFDP is confident “that the evidence will expose the allegations in Prospect Park’s complaint as completely meritless and that the band will recover substantial damages and be released from any further obligations to Prospect Park based on the cross-complaint that we intend to file.”