A music producer for such bands as Smash Mouth and Third Eye Blind is being sued by a former love interest who alleges he breached a verbal agreement that they would share their assets in the event of a breakup and that he would provide her financial support her for life.
In the Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit filed Friday alleging breach of contract, Dana Pfeffer says she supported Eric Dodd financially and emotionally during a time when he was a struggling musician. She says they were in a “marriage-like” relationship and that he only supported her for about 16 years.
“Throughout the relationship, Pfeffer dedicated herself to not only financially supporting Dodd when he needed the assistance, she also dedicated her time to helping Dodd build his business,” the suit states.
The suit seeks unspecified damages and a judge’s determination of the interests Dodd and Pfeffer each have in the property she claims they once held jointly.
Dodd could not be immediately reached for comment.
According to the complaint, Dodd and Pfeffer met in 1988 when he was a customer at a beauty supply store in Palo Alto where she worked and earned about $7 an hour. He was a studio engineer and drummer for the band T-Ride and had little income, slept on a mattress downstairs from his recording studio and “could fit all of his personal belongings in a laundry basket,” the suit states. Dodd drove a Honda Civic with “paint peeling off of it,” according to the complaint.
In the 1990s, Dodd and Pfeffer verbally agreed to treat their earnings and income as joint property if it was generated from work performed for the benefit of their relationship, the suit states. They also concurred that if they broke up they would divide their belongings equally, it says.
The two moved in together and Pfeffer worked jobs in a beauty supply store and as a restaurant server while Dodd continued to have sparse earnings while working on his music career, the suit states.
The suit states that while touring with T-Ride in 1992, Dodd wrote a postcard to Pfeffer stating, “Hey Dana, I hope you know how to speak Spanish ’cause I bought us a Spanish castle with extra food money. I know it’s kinda small, but it’s the biggest one I could afford. Well, I hope you like it.”
Dodd’s fortunes began to flourish in 1997 when he produced albums for Smashmouth and Third Eye Blind, the suit states. Pfeffer played the xylophone on Smash Mouth’s hit album “Fush Yu Mang,” the suit states. She also used her cosmetology training to help Dodd with his wardrobe and appearances on live shows, according to the lawsuit. In addition, she created the first website for Dodd’s music recording business, the suit states.
The two moved to Southern California and bought a home in Studio City in 2004 for $1.4 million, the suit states.
Up until last last summer, the former couple continued to accumulate personal assets, including real estate, bank accounts, investment accounts, vehicles and publishing royalties, the suit states.
However, in August the two ended their relationship “as a result of Dodd’s infidelity,” the suit states. He also ordered her to leave a property they owned in Sherman Oaks, turned off the utilities and denied her access to any funds, the suit states.
“Dodd has repudiated his agreement with Pfeffer by failing to account for and divide equally all the joint property herein described for Pfeffer’s benefit,” the suit alleges.
