A former guitarist for the group that bills itself as “America’s Most Patriotic Rock Band” is suing its manager, claiming he was cheated out of wages, royalties and credit for songs like “In the Days that Reagan Ruled” and “Right to Bear.”
In his Brooklyn civil suit, Alex Bodnar, 30, of Sheepshead Bay, claims Richard Mgrdechian, manager of the band Madison Rising, even bilked him out of a producer credit on their version of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” which received mixed reviews when the band performed its head-banging version at the Daytona 500 in February.
“The band stands for really great things and the band is a bunch of really great guys who believe what they sing — he should do the same,” Bodnar said.
“For someone to work so hard and not be compensated is not particularly American,” said Bodnar’s lawyer, Mikhail Usher, who plans to file suit Thursday.
Since Bodnar left, the band has gone on to create the theme song for Sarah Palin’s new TV show, with lyrics like, “Red, wild and blue is our way of life.”
Mgrdechian declined to comment on pending litigation, but called Bodnar a “disgruntled employee” who “breached his contract.”