Velvet's Lawsuit.

Velvet Underground lawsuit thrown out.

A lawsuit filed by Velvet Underground members Lou Reed and John Cale against the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts in New York last year has been tossed out. The former bandmates claimed the foundation licensed the banana artwork Warhol did up for the cover of their debut album for use on various products, which they felt implied their consent to any sponsorship. The judge ruled that the foundation does not own the image's copyright. Three other allegations in the lawsuit are still being contested. Reed and Cale's lawyer, Clifford James, says, "We respectfully disagree with the court's decision." Warhol was the Velvet's early manager.