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Plot thickens on the legal front
Four fifths of the Mark 2 (Gillan, Glover, Paice, and Jon Lord’s estate) issued an official response to the news that their former management companies DP(O) and HEC went into administration:
- It has come to our attention that two companies, Deep Purple (Overseas) Ltd (“DPO”) and HEC Enterprises Ltd (“HEC”) have recently gone into administration and that ReSolve Partners Limited (“ReSolve”) have been appointed as administrators for both companies. We believe ReSolve are inviting offers from third parties for the business and assets of the two companies.
- We, (Ian Gillan, Ian Paice and Roger Glover, being continuing members of Deep Purple and Victoria Lord, representing Jon Lord, who was a member of the group until his death) commenced legal proceedings against both DPO and HEC and in particular those proceedings concern the ownership of various Deep Purple sound recording and song copyrights and the income generated thereby.
In short our position is that neither HEC nor DPO can, if it is their intention, dispose of or deal with those copyrights as between themselves and unidentified third parties. Our lawyers are, notwithstanding the two companies going into administration, instructed to progress and enforce our rights in relation to those copyrights (amongst other matters).
This statement is to put you on notice of our claims/ rights/ interests. If further information is required please address your enquiries to our lawyers, Russells (Tel: 02074398692 Ref: SMT) or our royalty managers, The Royalty Consultancy (Tel: 01908 568800 Ref: MC).
We have no expertise to properly interpret legalese, so we’ll refrain from further comments (and probably so should you too).
Thanks to Music Business Worldwide for the info.
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
Songwriting royalties belong to all members of Deep Purple who contributed to these songs and also a percentage of the mechanical/digital sales of these songs and I would imagine some sort of Intellectual property such as Merchandise etc via use of Deep Purples image. Unfortunately, too many artists from this era were exploited by dodgy managers. Fight for what is yours Purples and boost the accelerator on the highway star
Power to the musical poets !!!
February 3rd, 2016 at 21:51Laugh?, I nearly cried!. Where’s that Robin Hood outfit…..
February 4th, 2016 at 03:44Interesting to read that “Jon Lord… was a member of the group until his death”.
Didn’t Jon cease to be a member of Deep Purple when he left the group in 2002?
February 4th, 2016 at 22:14@3
I believe Jon Lord was always welcome to return to the Hammond (The Beast) if ever he chose to.
February 5th, 2016 at 17:21Was Jon always loved by band and audience alike? Yes, of course he was. Therefore he was a member of Deep Purple…he just wasn’t a practising member after 2002.
February 5th, 2016 at 21:10Deep Purple is a finalist with The Eagles in the annual Blimp Bowl of Rock ‘n Roll. Vote now at WBLM.com. Winner announced on Monday morning.
February 5th, 2016 at 23:38If you read the text clearly it’s a clear instruction from DP lawyer to the other side not to communicate with another buyer without their permission. It’s an arm twisting technique and it’s a clear induction that they think it might be a possibility that Blackmore could buy the company and shaft the rest of current members. Richie could even own the company without paying a penny since the company owes him 750k pounds. Good times for Richie and bad times for the rest of MK2 members!!!
February 6th, 2016 at 13:37You can be sure that Jon Lord will be ever a member of this group.
February 6th, 2016 at 16:08Why does everyone have to involve Blackmore in everything? This is about making sure that the brand and rights doesn’t fall in any wrong hands. It could be bought by someone passing out DP songs left and right, to commercials and political campaigns. As if there isn’t enough dodgy DP releases out there already…
February 7th, 2016 at 20:27Adel@7- a poor attempt at comedy writing indeed! Meanwhile, back in the real world. Cheers.
February 7th, 2016 at 20:50The original post on THWS did mention that there is a suspension of a link between the company going bust and Ritchie Blackmore owed 750k royalty money. So if no one buys the copy rights and cough up the owed money to Ritchie then it’s a commen sense that Ritchie will be entitled to the ownership of the company and future royalty money…. If it goes to court Ritchie will be having the last laugh…. MacGregor @10 sorry if I spoiled your mood with my writing!!! Get real and read between the lines!!
February 7th, 2016 at 22:58Do not read between the lines and create your own reality.
February 8th, 2016 at 10:51All,
Why not heed the sage advice given above by Highway Star?
In legal matters, best not to pontificate or offer any opinion of any sort, lest ye is deemed to be an “expert witness” and you have something relevant to offer in the proceedings.
February 8th, 2016 at 14:42The lawyers are essentially saying that their client’s (Gillan, et al) pre-existing copyrights cannot be sold, or given away etc to a third party when the two companies (assets) are sold or auctioned off. Similar conditions will exist for your favourite guitar slinger. So, I hear you ask, what exactly do the two companies assets consist of, apart from their good names?. This is where things may begin to hit a sticky patch!. Let’s just sit back & watch, as this bit should be fun to observe…. from a safe distance of course. Hey LRT, where are you?, I’m starting to miss your boastful theories, fun “facts” & trivia. Just kidding, be happy kiddo.
February 9th, 2016 at 03:09@12 – Pretty much, but people will speculate as I did(thanks for deleting, much appreciated). More is going on here and it does highly involve TMIB, however nowhere in the ballpark of what’s being talked here. I would dismiss #11 as you did, but as for last laughs, Adel, this is serious and will never include anything to laugh about. I do think the companies will get well sorted out if the band don’t get ruthless and it goes another way. But the bottom line for me is this should not really be news for the layman public with no law degrees, even if it is R&R HOF year and all that nonsense. It has nothing to do with anything opinions can change.
February 9th, 2016 at 05:57The tile of the page on THWS is “Plot thickens on the legal front” so it will be a legal battle for sure. When a company goes bust all of its assets are seized and what value left is payed back to what it owed people. If the fugue of 710k pounds owed to Ritchie is true and valid then we will have a nice legal battle for sure. The courts are fair and they will do their best to give people what they owe. Someone has to leave the court with a smile so only time will tell. Who cares about money when you are immortalised in Rock and Roll hall of fame!!!
February 10th, 2016 at 13:52Blackwood: see above. No theories here, but you have some amusing ones. I’m consulted on this matter and the only right thing you say is that it’s not for jqp to pontificate. That is all. But keep laughing, even though it’s not the fan spirit to do so.
February 11th, 2016 at 09:48@7
I have never read anything so singularly bizarre in my life. Really?! They owe him the amount they paid him last year? You sure about that? Hahaha. And your last remark @7, really? Well, these are the only items of amusement on this civil warfare topic.
February 11th, 2016 at 10:12Blackwood, part of that was meant to throw at @13, as generally being the only right things said up till my first entry here. Just to clarify and not put words in the wrong mouth. Cheers, man.
February 11th, 2016 at 10:16Sorry, had to jump back at Adel again over that comment about Blackmore possibly getting everything. People, read: Just hand it all over to Carol, she will work it all out, hahahaha. Man alive.
February 11th, 2016 at 19:52Jon Lord parted on good terms with the band, two songs from Now What were dedicated to him but how could he return at any time, where would that leave Don Airey? Not counting occasional guest spots of course.
DPO & HEC are bust as a result of Ritchie’s claim? In any case the administrator of a company is empowered by company law, which enabled those companies to be set up in the first place, to realise the assets by getting the best price[s] possible, if no buyer can be found the companies will go into Liquidation & exist no more.
I’m no expert in this, but if the remaining members of the MK2 line buy the companies, it would amount to paying Ritchie out. Just let them fold, what’s the worst that could happen, Ritchie doesn’t get his money.
February 12th, 2016 at 12:28I’m surprised no one appears bummed at the stalling effect this may have on new product coming out. I am always hoping that more new- old material comes out like the 1984 live DVD. I would love to see more of the “Son of Alerik”- era instrumental/jams released and more DVD footage w/Blackmore.
February 12th, 2016 at 17:43???
February 14th, 2016 at 01:47