Since I launched my claim for my share of the song A Whiter Shade of Pale over
four years ago, I have had to listen to a number of hysterical outbursts from various
interested parties. Apparently, if I succeeded it would mean the end of
civilisation as we know it; the sky would fall down; we'd all be murdered in our beds;
anyone who'd as much as played tambourine on a Bay City Rollers record would be able to
claim millions...
Someone even suggested the issue might be "whether or not the law understands the music
industry". This is pure nonsense - the tail does not wag the dog. It is up
to the Music Business to understand the Law, not vice versa.
Unfortunately, this misconception was not limited to a few misguided souls in the Music
Business, but actually found comfort in the Court of Appeal. Happily, the highest
court in the land has today re-asserted the Law's authority on matters of intellectual
property ownership by re-instating my right to receive remuneration for the song I wrote
back in 1967.
This is not just a victory for me, but for creative musicians everywhere, who might
otherwise have been misled into thinking the Law does not recognise or protect their
rights.
It most certainly does.
Once again, I must thank my wonderful legal team - Mike, Jens, Hugo, Iain and Charlotte
- for their stirling efforts and for not losing hope when the going got tough.
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