Judge tosses ex-Ramones drummer's lawsuit

A royalties lawsuit filed by former Ramones drummer Richard "Richie Ramone" Reinhardt has been dismissed. Reinhardt, who played with the Ramones from 1983 to 1987, argued he should receive about $1 million in royalties fees from digital sales of the six songs he co-wrote for the band. But according to the Associated Press, a judge ruled that his agreement with the band covered its bases on all future technologies, because it used the phrase "now or hereafter known" when referring to forms of reproduction.

Reinhardt's six songs for the Ramones were "Smash You," "Somebody Put Something in My Drink," "Human Kind," "I'm Not Jesus," "I Know Better Now," and "(You) Can't Say Something Nice."

Reinhardt had filed suit against Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Apple Inc., Real Networks Inc., the Ramones' management, and the estate of the band's late co-founder and guitarist Johnny Ramone, whose real name was John Cummings.