Procol Harum

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the Pale

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 A Whiter Shade of Pale

Authorship lawsuit


  Published at Matthew Fisher's website
on 31 May 2005
  Sent to 'Beyond the Pale'
dated 17 June 2005
 
 

ANNOUNCEMENT

Jens Hills & Co., specialist media and entertainment litigators, have issued proceedings in the Royal Courts of Justice, Chancery Division on behalf of Matthew Fisher against Gary Brooker and Onward Music Limited for inter alia a declaration that Matthew Fisher is the co-author of the music in the song entitled A Whiter Shade of Pale.

The Royal Courts of Justice served the Claim Form and Particulars of Claim on Gary Brooker and Onward Music Limited on the 31st May 2005.

 

PRESS STATEMENT

Matthew Fisher has regrettably issued court proceedings against Gary Brooker and Onward Music Limited claiming a share of the copyright in A Whiter Shade of Pale

Gary Brooker today said that 'A Whiter Shade of Pale was written by Keith Reid and me before Matthew even joined the band. I am shocked and dismayed that after Matthew had worked with us quite happily over the course of forty years without him once alleging that his role on A Whiter Shade of Pale was anything other than as a musician, it is only now that he claims he recalls writing part of the song. I think people can draw their own conclusions from this'.

 
         

Procol Harum fans will recognise that this is an important development in the history of the band's most famous song, and they will also be aware that it is a formal matter which will be determined either through negotiation among lawyers or, should that fail, in a court of law. It cannot be resolved on the pages of this website nor by speculation, however impassioned, on the associated mailing list. Readers may well hunger for additional insight and informed opinion; however 'Beyond the Pale' judges it appropriate to restrict our coverage of the case to authorised statements from the parties involved, as exemplified above, and media reports.


More about the AWSoP lawsuit: index of media articles, etc


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