Former Easy Action singer Zinny Zan recently spoke out about the plagiarism controversy involving Poison’s hit “I Want Action,” revealing new details about the case and its settlement during an interview with The Hair Metal Guru.
The discussion focused on the striking resemblance between Easy Action’s “We Go Rocking” and Poison’s “I Want Action,” particularly in their chorus sections. When asked about the lawsuit and how it unfolded, Zan explained how he first learned of the similarity. “Well, it was a friend of mine that heard his first. I was back in Sweden then back in 1986 and my friend called me up and say, ‘Listen to this.’ And I heard the song and first, I didn’t recognize it I said, ‘Yeah, okay. What’s that?’ He said, ‘Listen to the chorus again.’ And I listen. And I go like, ‘What the f?’ I go, ‘What’s this?’ It’s a band called Poison,” he said.
Zan went on to describe how he reached out to Warner Records, which represented both bands at the time. “So the thing is I called up the record company and of course we were signed to Warner back in those days as well. So Warner said, ‘Wow, this ain’t good.’ You know, we got to talk to these guys. But it took a long time. It took a real long time,” he continued.
The story took an unexpected twist when Zan later moved to Los Angeles and ran into someone connected to Poison’s production. “And then I moved to LA in 87ish, something like that. And then I met one night about a Cat House where everyone went back in those days in Hollywood. And this guy comes up to me and he said like, ‘Hey, you’re Zinny from Easy Action, right?’ And I said, ‘Oh yeah, I am.’ He said, ‘My name is Rick.’ I didn’t know who that was,” Zan recalled.
According to Zan, the producer—identified as Rick—revealed how Poison became familiar with Easy Action’s music. “He said, ‘I was in Sweden at the Polar Studio. One night I went out to a club. You guys were playing. I thought you were absolutely great. Next day I went bought the album. Then I brought it home to America and when I met the Poison guys, I had it in the studio and they played it all the time,’” Zan said.
Discussing the financial resolution, Zan explained that Warner Records ultimately intervened to force a settlement. “So, what happened was that Warner saw to it that their accounts were frozen. The Poison accounts were frozen and then of course they had to make a deal because doing a lawsuit and all going through all that thing that can take years and years. So we sat down and when we saw that the figures were going up to a comfortable number and which I still can’t say because that’s the in writing with Poison,” he said.
The exact settlement amount remains confidential under the terms of the agreement with Poison.
The plagiarism case stands as a notable chapter in 1980s glam metal history, involving two bands at vastly different stages in their careers. Easy Action’s original work had been released years earlier, long before Poison’s commercial breakthrough.
According to Last.fm, Easy Action’s “We Go Rocking” came out in 1983, three years before Poison’s “I Want Action” appeared on their 1986 debut album Look What the Cat Dragged In. Poison’s record became a defining release of the glam metal era, propelling the band to stardom.
Easy Action, a Swedish glam metal group formed in the early 1980s, gained regional acclaim for their melodic sound. Spirit of Metal noted that the band included Bo Stagman, known as Zinny J. Zan, on vocals and guitarist Kee Marcello. Despite several lineup changes, Easy Action maintained a loyal following in the Scandinavian rock scene.
The legal dispute ultimately ended in Easy Action’s favor, resulting in a financial settlement for the unauthorized use of their chorus. Last.fm also documented that Easy Action reunited for performances in the 2000s, including an appearance at Sweden Rock Festival in 2006, and later recorded a new album in 2008 with producer Chris Laney.
After his time with Easy Action, Zinny Zan continued his musical journey with solo projects and collaborations throughout the Scandinavian rock and metal scene.
The case remains one of glam metal’s most memorable settled plagiarism disputes, illustrating how copyright conflicts could arise even between bands signed to the same label during the genre’s commercial peak.
