Spinal Tap, Lego and Copyright

In 2007, when he was just 14 years old, Coleman Hickey made a stop-action film using Lego pieces. Coleman's film shows Lego figures in a concert performance of the song “Tonight I’m Gonna Rock You Tonight,” by Spinal Tap. That satirical film (built around a song that parodies rock-star hubris) went viral on YouTube. Recently Harry Shearer, Chris Guest and Michael McKean revived Spinal Tap and Coleman Hickey's silly video for the “Unwigged and Unplugged” tour. But, according to an August 10, 2009 article in the NY Times, Lego's attorneys have stepped in (asserting copyright infringement) and the video which played behind the band in their recent live concerts will not be part of the DVD of the tour.