Vincent Cusano, Individually D/B/A Vinnie Vincent Music, D/B/A Streetbeat Music F/k/a Vinnie Vincent v. Gene Klein, an Individual Stanley Eisen, an Individual the Kiss Company, a New York Corporation Gene Simmons Worldwide, Inc., a Delaware Corporation Simstan Music Ltd., a Delaware Corporation Kisstory Ltd. Polygram Records, Inc., a Delaware Corporation, and Horipro Entertainment Group, a California Corporation, Vincent Cusano, Individually D/B/A Vinnie Vincent Music, D/B/A Streetbeat Music F/k/a Vinnie Vincent v. Gene Klein, an Individual Stanley Eisen, an Individual the Kiss Company, a New York Corporation Gene Simmons Worldwide, Inc., a Delaware Corporation Simstan Music Ltd., a Delaware Corporation Kisstory Ltd. Polygram Records, Inc., a Delaware Corporation Horipro Entertainment Group, a California Corporation

264 F.3d 936 (9th Cir. 2001) VINCENT CUSANO, INDIVIDUALLY D/B/A VINNIE VINCENT MUSIC, D/B/A STREETBEAT MUSIC F/K/A VINNIE VINCENT, PLAINTIFF-APPELLANT, v. GENE KLEIN, AN INDIVIDUAL; STANLEY EISEN, AN INDIVIDUAL; THE KISS COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION; GENE SIMMONS WORLDWIDE, INC., A DELAWARE CORPORATION; SIMSTAN MUSIC LTD., A DELAWARE CORPORATION; KISSTORY LTD.; POLYGRAM RECORDS, INC., A DELAWARE CORPORATION, DEFENDANTS-APPELLEES, AND HORIPRO ENTERTAINMENT GROUP, A CALIFORNIA CORPORATION, DEFENDANT. VINCENT CUSANO, INDIVIDUALLY D/B/A VINNIE VINCENT MUSIC, D/B/A STREETBEAT MUSIC F/K/A VINNIE VINCENT, PLAINTIFF-APPELLANT, v. GENE KLEIN, AN INDIVIDUAL; STANLEY EISEN, AN INDIVIDUAL; THE KISS COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION; GENE SIMMONS WORLDWIDE, INC., A DELAWARE CORPORATION; SIMSTAN MUSIC LTD., A DELAWARE CORPORATION; KISSTORY LTD.; POLYGRAM RECORDS, INC., A DELAWARE CORPORATION; HORIPRO ENTERTAINMENT GROUP, A CALIFORNIA CORPORATION, DEFENDANTS-APPELLEES. No. 00-55536, No. 99-56131 UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT Argued and Submitted February 6, 2001--Pasadena, California Filed September 6, 2001 [Copyrighted Material Omitted][Copyrighted Material…