Smashing Pumpkins suffer loss of “Artistic Integrity”

The Smashing Pumpkins have filed a lawsuit against Virgin Records who has allegedly posed a threat to the band’s “Artistic Integrity.”

Virgin Records used the band’s music in a promotional deal with Pepsi and Amazon.com.

Unfortunately it seems as though their music, discovered in the background of a Pepsi Stuff commercial, has already undergone a great deal of mass media exploitation, as the Smashing Pumpkins first began work with the big-time record industry when the recorded and released “Gish” in 1991.

The Smashing Pumpkins are suing Virgin Records, saying the record label has illegally used their name and music in promotional deals that hurt the band’s credibility with fans.

In a breach-of-contract lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday, the Chicago-based rockers said they have ‘‘worked hard for over two decades to accumulate a considerable amount of goodwill in the eyes of the public,’’ and that Virgin’s use of the band in a ‘‘Pepsi Stuff’’ promotion with Amazon.com and Pepsi Co. threatens their reputation for ‘‘artistic integrity.’’

The Smashing Pumpkins, led by singer Billy Corgan, are suing Virgin Records, saying the record label has illegally used the Chicago band’s name and music in promotional deals that hurt the band’s credibility with fans.

Virgin released the Smashing Pumpkins’ music for more than 17 years, but the only active agreement between the two parties, the lawsuit claims, is a deal granting Virgin permission to sell digital downloads of the band’s songs. The agreement does not give Virgin the right to use the band in promotional campaigns to sell outside products, the lawsuit said.

The band members said they would ‘‘never grant such authority to Virgin, or any other entity.’’

An after-hours call to Virgin Records wasn’t immediately returned.

The lawsuit demands that Virgin pay with the profits earned in the promotion and asks for an injunction against using the Pumpkins’ name or music in the future.