The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame has suspended its curator, Craig Inciardi, after he was charged with two other men of possessing handwritten lyrics and notes allegedly stolen from Eagles co-founder Don Henley. Loudersound.com reports: “Inciardi, Glenn Horowitz and Edward Kosinski are accused of involvement in a plot to sell almost 100 pages of Henley’s handwritten notes and lyrics from ‘Hotel California’ and ‘Life In The Fast Lane’ to potential buyers. The documents are believed to have been stolen from Henley by an unnamed biographer, and it’s claimed that the 74-year-old musician had been pressed by the men to buy back his stolen papers.”
Eagles manager Irving Azoff said in a statement: “This action exposes the truth about music memorabilia sales of highly personal, stolen items hidden behind a facade of legitimacy. No one has the right to sell illegally obtained property or profit from the outright theft of irreplaceable pieces of musical history. These handwritten lyrics are an integral part of the legacy Don Henley has created over the course of his 50-plus-year career.”
Most of the lyrics and notes in question are from the Eagles’ 1976 “Hotel California” LP, which has been certified as the third best-selling album of all time behind Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” and the Eagles’ own greatest hits album. Lawyers for the three men say their clients are innocent of all charges, which include conspiracy in the fourth degree, a charge that carries a potential four year prison sentence. Horowitz also faces a first-degree charge for attempted criminal possession of stolen property and two counts of hindering prosecution.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg issued a press release following the indictments, stating: “New York is a world-class hub for art and culture, and those who deal cultural artifacts must scrupulously follow the law. These defendants attempted to keep and sell these unique and valuable manuscripts, despite knowing they had no right to do so.”
Rolling Stone also said that Rock & Roll Hall of FamePresident and CEO Joel Peresman intends to keep Inciardi on leave until the legal matter has been resolved and his reinstatement hinges on the outcome of the case.
