Yoko sues music giants over Lennon royalties
Yoko Ono is suing music company EMI Group and a subsidiary for £5.6m (€4.46m), claiming she was cheated out of royalties due from the sale of music recordings by her late husband, former Beatle John Lennon.
The lawsuit, filed in Manhattan’s state Supreme Court, accuses EMI and Capitol Records of breaking half a dozen agreements by “wilfully and knowingly underreporting royalties” by hiding the “true use and disposition of Lennon’s recordings”.
Ono’s three-page filing, which included a summons and notice but no detailed complaint, also accuses EMI and Capitol of “intentionally and systematically rendering dishonest and grossly deficient accounting statements”.
EMI/Capitol spokeswoman Jeanne Meyer would not discuss Ono’s lawsuit specifically, but said: “Artists from time to time request audits of their royalty accounts. Sometimes there are differences of opinion, which is understandable given the complex nature of recording contracts.”
Meyer said the contracts were sometimes subject to interpretation “but 99 times out of 100 these things are resolved in an amicable way”.
Ono’s lawyer, John LiCalsi, refused to comment on the lawsuit.
In August, state Supreme Court justice Karla Moskowitz refused to dismiss a similar lawsuit brought by the Beatles and their music company, Apple Corps. That lawsuit seeks ownership and control of the Beatles’ master recordings.
Meyer said her company was appealing against the judge’s ruling.
