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Old 14-11-2006, 10:53
WatfordKev
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Don't you just love these cases? For the uninformed, the organist on Whiter Shade Of Pale is after some of the spoils from his erstwhile bandmates in Procul Harum (almost 40 years on). Basically, it's an argument over royalties.

It's all very fascinating for fans, as you often get to witness life behind the scenes.

Other memorable cases I can remember are:

The Smiths (arguments over royalties)
Spandau Ballet (arguments over royalties)

Hmmm. Bit of a common thread running through these. Any other memorable cases I've missed?
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Old 14-11-2006, 11:16
spankyplugs
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I remember reading about someone suing themselves.
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Old 14-11-2006, 11:27
WatfordKev
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Originally Posted by spankyplugs
I remember reading about someone suing themselves.
Did they win?
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Old 14-11-2006, 11:44
Inkblot
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In the Procol Harum case, "the judge, Mr Justice Blackburne, read music and law at Cambridge and indicated he would himself be playing the Yamaha organ installed by the witness box... "

Any requests?

A Legal Matter by The Who, maybe?
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Old 14-11-2006, 11:45
cobaltmale
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Originally Posted by Inkblot
In the Procol Harum case, "the judge, Mr Justice Blackburne, read music and law at Cambridge and indicated he would himself be playing the Yamaha organ installed by the witness box... "

Any requests?

A Legal Matter by The Who, maybe?
Good Morning Judge ?
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Old 14-11-2006, 12:34
t1mmyb
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Originally Posted by cobaltmale
Good Morning Judge ?
I Fought The Law

What about Oasis? The original drummer was kicked out for being, basically, crap. He didn't like this and sued the band IIRC.

"McCarroll was asked to leave the band in 1995 after rumours of a punch-up with Liam. McCarroll has since denied this.

On the last day of April 1995, McCarroll's departure was announced and soon the fight was abandoned as the main reason - instead, Oasis explained, his drumming just wasn't up to it. "I like Tony as a geezer but he wouldn't have been able to drum the new songs," explained Noel. McCarroll was replaced by Alan White.

In 1999 McCarroll hired a lawyer Jens Hills - who had won Pete Best £2m from the Beatles in 1995 - to sue Oasis for £18m. Arguing McCarroll was owed his part of the band's five-album deal with Creation, the case hoped to set a legal precedent, as McCarroll would have claimed compensation for two LPs on which he had not played. Eventually, he accepted an out-of-court settlement of £600,000 in March 1999, which effectively severed all links to the band, with McCarroll's legal fees reported at £250,000. The settlement provoked considerable reaction (one headline questioned "Is this the most stupid man in showbiz?". The reporter claimed "what Tony failed to realise was that he effectively held a lottery ticket which would mean he'd carry on winning every year.")"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_McCarroll
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Old 14-11-2006, 12:46
Omah
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Following the song's release, musical similarities between "My Sweet Lord" and The Chiffons' hit "He's So Fine" led to a lengthy legal battle over the rights to the composition. Billboard magazine, in an article dated 6 March 1971, stated that Harrison's royalty payments from the recording had been halted worldwide. Harrison stated that he was inspired to write "My Sweet Lord" after hearing the Edwin Hawkins Singers' "Oh Happy Day".

In the U.S. federal court decision in the case, known as Bright Tunes Music v. Harrisongs Music, Harrison was found to have unintentionally copied the earlier song. He was ordered to surrender the majority of royalties from "My Sweet Lord" and partial royalties from All Things Must Pass. Shortly thereafter, Harrison wrote and recorded a song about the court case named "This Song", which includes "This song, there's nothing 'Bright' about it."

It has also been noted that the main riff in the song was copied, be it intentionally or unintentional, by British rock band Oasis, on their song "Supersonic".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Sweet_Lord
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Old 14-11-2006, 12:54
Inkblot
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There's some more alleged plagiarism cases here .
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Old 14-11-2006, 13:04
Vic Mackey
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Originally Posted by spankyplugs
I remember reading about someone suing themselves.
Quite possible, especially if a company is involved.
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Old 14-11-2006, 13:10
Verence
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Originally Posted by Inkblot
In the Procol Harum case, "the judge, Mr Justice Blackburne, read music and law at Cambridge and indicated he would himself be playing the Yamaha organ installed by the witness box... "

Any requests?

A Legal Matter by The Who, maybe?

A Policeman's Lot Is Not A Happy One from a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta
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Old 14-11-2006, 13:12
Verence
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Originally Posted by WatfordKev
Other memorable cases I can remember are:

The Smiths (arguments over royalties)
Spandau Ballet (arguments over royalties)

Hmmm. Bit of a common thread running through these. Any other memorable cases I've missed?
There have also been a lot of case between members of old bands as to who owns the rights to the band's name. It might sound stupid but if you own the rights to the name of Band X only you can use in advertising and for concerts on the nostalgia circuit
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Old 14-11-2006, 13:19
Dark Drums
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My personal favourite was John Fogerty (Creedence Clearwater Revival) who was sued for plagiarizing himself!
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Old 14-11-2006, 13:31
t1mmyb
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Originally Posted by VERENCE
A Policeman's Lot Is Not A Happy One from a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta
Money, Money, Money (ABBA), or Money and/or Welcome To The Machine (Pink Floyd)
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Old 14-11-2006, 14:36
spankyplugs
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Originally Posted by Dark Drums
My personal favourite was John Fogerty (Creedence Clearwater Revival) who was sued for plagiarizing himself!

That's the one!
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Old 14-11-2006, 14:41
spankyplugs
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There was also Neil Young being sued for apparently not sounding like himself...
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Old 14-11-2006, 18:30
greatsnakes
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My fave pop legal tangle was the Milli Vanilli fiasco - 26 lawsuits filed against them, including one that meant giving refunds to anyone who'd bought their CDs or concert tickets! Couldn't they see the funny side?

Mind you, it really did end in tears when poor old Rob hit the skids and ended dying of an OD
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