Sting Accused of Stealing by Songwriter Roy Smith
photo courtesy of PR Photos/www.prphotos.comA Nevada singer/songwriter, Roy Smith has reportedly accused Sting of stealing ideas for some of the Police’s hits. Smith claims he became friends with Sting in the late 1970s after Sting went to a Smith concert in Reno. Smith alleges that he spent one night revealing details of his life to Sting, including fooling around with a prostitute named Roxanne as well as writing messages to his widowed mother that he placed in bottles.
Smith insists that The Police’s hits “Roxanne” and “Message in a Bottle” were stemming from his stories. According to TMZ, Smith went to Reno police officials and insisted that Sting agreed to pay him royalties for the songs, but he never did.
A spokesperson for the police said:
“Initial review of the report indicates that the statute of limitations of any potential crime in this matter has expired. The alleged victim may have to pursue the matter through civil litigation.”
Attorneys for Sting have denied the accusations.
Even if it were true, based on what Smith is saying - Sting wrote the songs after he blabbed about his life stories. It doesn’t really sound like stealing to me, unless they collaborated on the songwriting. The guy is crazy to wait over 20 years to try to come out with these allegations too! He’s probably just bummed that Sting made a ton of money over the past 25 years.
2 babblicious comments:
A writer takes in all the detritus of his life and stories expressed to him and it is the mulch from which inspiration grows a work of art. Sting did not ’steal’ from this man. Artists take inspiration from many things, but ultimately they make the art, they imbue it with feeling and it’s their creation. That man has no claim on Sting’s art.
Before you go slaming Mr Smith you need to get your facts right let me help you. Go to rgj.com under roy smith sting you will find a police report that states that Sting not only stold Mr Smiths two songs Roxanne & Message in a Bottle and also tried to rape Mr Smith at the age of 17 a minnor aswell. Go to FOX 12 news roy smith sting and you will find the whole truth. For more email;roynampa@aol.com