BROOKER WINS BACK WHITER SHADE OF PALE RIGHTS

Last updated: Friday, April 4, 2008

BROOKER WINS BACK WHITER SHADE OF PALE RIGHTS

PROCOL HARUM frontman GARY BROOKER has won back full royalty rights to hit song A WHITER SHADE OF PALE.

The singer won his appeal against a 2006 ruling, which gave organist Matthew Fisher a 40 per cent cut of the song's royalties at London's Court of Appeal on Friday (04Apr08).

Fisher had argued he had written the 1967 song's melody, and should be entitled to royalties as a result.

But Judge John Mummery ruled the rights will be retained by Brooker as Fisher took 38 years to bring the case to court - but insisted the track should still be credited with Fisher's co-authorship.

He said, "Matthew Fisher is guilty of excessive and inexcusable delay in his claim to assert joint title to a joint interest in the work.

"He silently stood by and acquiesced in the defendant's commercial exploitation of the work for 38 years."

Source: WENN

| Friday, April 4, 2008

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