Richie McNeill: Melbourne architecture firm Raidstudio sues Stereosonic founder

A bitter fight has erupted between music promoter Richie McNeill and a small architecture firm over reno works at his Toorak pad.

A bitter fight has erupted between major dance music promoter Richie McNeill and a small Melbourne architecture firm over work completed at his Toorak pad. Picture: David Crosling

A battle has erupted between a small Melbourne architecture firm and veteran music promoter Richie McNeill over work completed at his Toorak pad.

Raidstudio directors Nicholas and Melissa Ruljancich claim McNeill failed to let them into his residence — on one of the wealthy enclave’s most prominent streets — to take photos of renovations they completed between 2014 and 2019.

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Music promoter and DJ Richie McNeill is being sued by Raidstudio.

McNeill, who once worked for the late Australian music producer Michael Gudinski and is director of Hardware Group, whose PURE festival was on at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl on Sunday, also engaged Raidstudio to design the five-bedroom Myrtleford country retreat he co-owns with superstar DJ Carl Cox.

The property was listed for sale in January with price hopes of more than $2m and is still on the market priced at $1.95m.

Raidstudio’s statement of claim, filed with Melbourne Magistrates’ Court, says McNeill paid them for work at his Toorak home but later denied their requests to enter the property to take photos of the finished product.

They allege the work agreement included a condition that they retain copyright of the project’s design and that McNeill must provide them with “reasonable access” to take photographs for marketing and publication on their website.

Raidstudio directors claim McNeill failed to let them into his residence to take photos of renovations they completed between 2014 and 2019. Picture: David Crosling

McNeill founded the hugely popular Stereosonic electronic music festival. Picture: Damien Shaw

The business owners are suing McNeill and seeking a court order granting them access to take photos.

Alternatively, the business owners want an order forcing McNeill to pay them $87,101.31 plus court costs to cover lost profit and the cost of producing computer generated images of the project.

“The plaintiff is entitled to an order that the defendant provide the plaintiff with reasonable access to photograph or otherwise record the project,” the claim notes.

“The plaintiff’s claim for loss of profit will continue to accrue until such a time as specific performance of the agreement occurs or the computer generated, photorealistic visual representations are completed.”

A notice of defence filed by McNeill’s lawyers claimed McNeill and Mr Ruljancich agreed during a phone conversation in 2016 that copyright for the project would belong to McNeill.

Raidstudio also designed McNeill’s Myrtleford country retreat, which he owns with DJ Carl Cox. Picture: Peter Bennetts

It further alleged Mr Ruljancich and his wife visited the property with a photographer on June 12, 2019, and took pictures of the partially completed renovations without McNeill’s permission and failed to assign copyright for them to McNeill.

McNeill would grant the Ruljancichs access to take photos provided copyright for them was attributed to him, his defence noted.

The promoter, also a DJ who performs under the name DJ Richie Rich, is responsible for bringing some of the biggest dance acts to Australia, including the late Avicii, Calvin Harris, David Guetta and Armin van Buuren.

The spat is due to be heard at a two-day trial at court on May 6.

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