GEORGE CLINTON LOSES RIGHTS TO CLASSIC FUNKADELIC SONGS IN COURT DISPUTE

iamstop

http://www.factmag.com/2013/01/07/george-clinton-loses-rights-to-classic-funkadelic-songs-in-court-dispute/

Funk godfather George Clinton’s tax traumas have had some pretty serious consequences.

Three years ago, Clinton was reprimanded in court for failing to keep on top of his tax obligations, and was instructed to pay back a $1.5m debt. As of this year, Clinton has barely made a dent in the figure, only managing to scrabble together $340,000.

Complex are reporting, via TMZ, that Clinton has now had to cede the rights to four of his most cherished compositions in order to the pay back his sizeable personal debts. Law firm Hendricks & Lewis, who brought the original suit back in 2010, have been given the rights to Funkadelic’s 1978 signature track ‘One Nation Under A Groove’, plus the title track to the band’s 1976 LP Hardcore Jollies. 1979′s ‘Uncle Jam Wants You’ and 1981′s ‘The Electric Spanking of War Babies’ have also been handed over.

Under the arrangement, the rights for each track will not be returned to Clinton when his debt is repaid, and Hendricks & Lewis can sell and distribute the music as they please. Clinton – who has famously scrapped with record companies over the rights to his classic 1970s and 1980s work in the past – is currently fighting the ruling in court.




This is terrible news. I hope he can appeal successfully.

Boom_Bap

That's awful. That means that law firm can start selling the songs at discount rates to be used in advertising and sampling. I think they take any outstanding royalties as well.

So 'One Nation' could easily become a jingle for the US military now.

iamstop

Boom_Bap wrote: »

So 'One Nation' could easily become a jingle for the US military now.

Totally goes against the Funk!

BigBenRoeth

Shameful......think I was reading something a while back about Sly Stone living in a campervan too?

iamstop

George is still fighting the good fight:
http://blogs.houstonpress.com/rocks/2013/02/george_clinton_samples_1.php

Oink

iamstop wrote: »

the rights for each track will not be returned to Clinton when his debt is repaid

In other words, "we'll take your royalties until your tax is paid, and then, well, we'll just keep them, you know."

WTF? sure why don't you help yourself there lads. :mad:

Philip O Brien

Two things sure in life, death and taxes.

This is both in one!

iamstop

George is going to have a reality TV show with the legal stuff as the core of the program:
http://www.express.co.uk/news/showbiz/401968/George-Clinton-to-expose-legal-hell-on-reality-show

I normally abhor reality TV but I will deffo try to watch this.