Courtney Love back in court

Love faced court to defend herself this time

Courtney Love has been in court for the second day in a row, this time defending herself against action taken by her record company.

Geffen Records claim the lead singer of the band Hole has failed to produce albums required by in its contract.

Love and Eagles member Don Henley led a musicians' action the day before over recording contracts.

The stars accused large record companies of "corrupt business practices", which tie artists into long contracts.

Love faced the court herself on Thursday because she has counter-sued Geffen Records, owned by entertainment giant Vivendi Universal EAUG.PA, calling its contracts unfair.

Geffen Records' lawyers were said to have asked Superior Court Judge Fumiko Wasserman to dismiss Love's counter claims against the company.

Ruling

Love sat through the proceedings next to her lawyers.

The judge set a new status conference for October 16 and is expected to rule next month on Geffen's request.

The Recording Artists' Coalition (RAC), led by Love and Henley, claims long contracts leave musicians unable to compete on the open market, losing them millions of dollars.

But the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) insists that the practice of contracting top artists counteracts the money spent on the majority of musicians who fail in the business.

Musicians with the RAC include singers Sheryl Crow, Alanis Morissette and Tom Petty.

Little control

California's so-called "seven-year statute" is the bone of contention. It ties musicians to longer contracts than anybody else in the entertainment business.

A controversial 1987 amendment to the California labour code went against the artists, paving the way for them to be sued by record companies at the end of seven years.

They claim that young artists are often forced to accept such terms in the bid to get a recording contract, leaving them later with little control over their careers.