More on that previously reported dispute between Californian songwriter Jim Wagner and Tom Petty, actually, quite a lot more - Wagner has written a lengthy statement on it all. As previously reported, Wagner claims that Petty's 2002 song 'The Last DJ' is a rip off of his 2000 song 'The Last Great Radio DJ'. Wagner says he wrote his song about KLOS radio presenter Jim Ladd, who is a friend of Petty, which is why he is so convinced Petty had access to his song when writing 'The Last DJ'.
Anyway, in a long open letter published by Aussie website Undercover, Wagner says: "This is the biggest cover-up and conspiracy in music history. No case in history remotely approaches this degree of wrongdoing regarding a copyrighted song. I wrote 'The Last Great Radio DJ' about Jim Ladd, DJ at KLOS in Los Angeles. I sent him a demo of the song in July of 2000 after attaining a federal copyright. In October of 2000, Ladd led a panel discussion at the Museum Of Television And Radio in Beverly Hills inviting his longtime friend, Tom Petty. Ladd introduced Petty to speak. Petty said, "I always refer to Jim Ladd as the last DJ". [But] upon release, Petty blatantly lied stating that 'The Last DJ' wasn't based on anyone".
And that's just the start of the lengthy letter, which also includes previously reported expert commentary compiled by Wagner that supports his case. You can read the whole thing at this here URL: http://www.undercover.com.au/News-Story.aspx?id=1463