Musician claims Madonna didn’t pay or credit him for writing ‘God Control’
Madonna has been forced to cancel eight of her Madame X shows. (Getty)
Fischerspooner’s Casey Spooner has accused Madonna of failing to pay or credit him for work on track ‘God Control’ – which was released as a tribute to the Orlando Pulse club massacre.
Spooner is demanding profits from Madonna’s Madame X tour as compensation after she allegedly used his material on the track without permission.
In posts on Instagram, the musician explained that he had collaborated with French producer Mirwais on a track in 2017, intended for Mirwais’ solo album.
However, two years after work on Mirwais’ album stalled, Spooner was stunned to discover that the producer had gone on to recycle their track without his knowledge – incorporating it into Madonna’s song without crediting him.
Madonna’s representatives reportedly offered an advance of $25,000 in addition to 15 percent of royalties in order to settle a complaint about the track.
But Spooner has rejected the offer.
Casey Spooner ‘broke in Berlin’ while Madonna profits.
He said: “I co-wrote GOD CONTROL and I’ve gotten no credit and no compensation.
“I’ve been dealing with this for 5 months and I’m over it. I have played nice and been very patient but time is up! And honestly the terms are shitty.
“I’m getting a 25K advance against publishing royalties which after legal fees and taxes will be 10K?!?! It’s been an endless nightmare of lawyers and waiting and more emails…..and for what?! 10K?
“I should be getting paid a percentage of the live show. There is no money in record sales. Period. Not even for Madonna. I’ve seen the numbers.”
Madonna’s music video features a graphic shooting resembling the Pulse massacre
He added: “I think 1% of touring profits will cover my contribution and damages. I mean, it is the opening number in the show.
“And while you’re galavanting around on stage….I’m completely broke in Berlin. Robbed, ignored and delayed.”
Demo is strikingly similar to Madame X track.
He has since shared a demo for the track, which sounds near-identical to Madonna’s and features near-identical lyrics.
The demo has minor differences from Madonna’s track, with Spooner’s lyrics “Blood of the innocent spreads everywhere/They say we all need love/But we don’t need your prayers” apparently tweaked for the Madonna version to say: “Blood of innocence, spread everywhere/They say that we need love/But we need more than this.”
The Madonna track’s graphic video had re-enacted the massacre at Orlando’s Pulse gay nightclub, where 49 people were murdered in 2016.
The video depicts a shooter opening fire on terrified people inside a nightclub, with the video depicting the dead clubbers in genderfluid outfits, covered in blood and glitter.
The singer’s album Madame X features another track, ‘I Rise’, that samples a speech from 19-year-old bisexual gun control activist Emma González, who survived the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.
