Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose is working overtime to scrub ’fat’ memes of him that recently spread across the internet.
Mr. Rose has sent Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) takedown notices to GoogleUserContent and Blogspot to remove a 2010 image originally published by in the Winnipeg Free Press.
“Welcome to the bakery, we’ve got pies and cake” reads one meme in reference to the song “Welcome to the Jungle.”
“Oh, oh, oh, sweet pie o’ mine,” reads another as a play on “Sweet Child O’ Mine.”
Boris Minkevich, the photographer who captured the image at the MTS Center in Winnipeg, Canada, told Torrent Freak on Sunday that he was unaware of Mr. Rose’s efforts to “cleanse the web.” He also cannot remember if he signed forms giving copyright authority to Mr. Rose.
Web Sheriff, which sent notices on the singer’s behalf as he tours with AC/DC, told the website that its client has control over the image’s dissemination.
“We can gladly confirm that all official / accredited photographers at [Axl Rose] shows sign-off on ’Photography Permission’ contracts / ’Photographic Release’ agreements which A. specify and limit the manner in which the photos can be exploited and B. transfer copyright ownership in such photos to AR’s relevant service company,” Web Sheriff said in a statement.
Google has not complied with Mr. Rose’s requests as of Monday.
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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