Appeals Court Rules The Authors Of A Randy Rhoads Biography Did Not Breach Contract With His Family

Guitarist Randy Rhoads’ mother and sisters are suing Peter Margolis, Andrew Klein, the publishing company Velocity Publishing Group, Inc. and co-author Steven Rosen. The lawsuit claims that the defendant Peter Margolis initially entered into an agreement with the Rhoads family for the making of a documentary film centering on Randy Rhoads. Courts have now stated that they did not breach contract.

When mxdwn first brought you this story, it was almost two years ago.

Randy Rhoads, a famous guitar player who rose to stardom as Ozzy Osbourne’s famed guitar player on the Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of Madman albums. A plane accident in Leesburg, Florida tragically took the guitar musician’s life at the young age of 25.

The lawsuit stated that Peter Margolis entered an agreement with the Rhoads family to create a documentary on the late Randy Rhoads. With a timeline of three years set, the Rhoads family provided numerous photos, clips, interviews, and other information to aid in the production of the film. And to the family’s knowledge the film alone.

As the film progressed in planning and production, a coffee table book was released where the defendant and other claimed to be experts on the late Rhoad’s life and relationships. Rhoad’s family was not happy with the misuse of information, the lack of professionalism with the defendant’s comments,  and the misrepresentation of character, including the “failed” documentary.

Blabbermouth explained more of the details on the legal and currently standing decision.

“According to Law360, a California appeals court ruled on Monday (January 26) that the creators of a book on legendary OZZY OSBOURNE/QUIET RIOT guitarist Randy Rhoads did not breach a contract with Rhoads’ family by using materials they had agreed only to use in a never-made documentary, saying they had a First Amendment right to publish it.

The three-judge panel overturned a lower court’s denial of a motion to dismiss the suit under California’s law against suits used to curtail First Amendment rights, known as the anti-SLAPP statute.”

To read more on the release of information about Rhoads, check out this past article from mxdwn.