Organist wins Whiter Shade of Pale court battle
Rock star Gary Brooker was left A Whiter Shade Of Pale today after losing a High Court battle over the copyright of his massive worldwide hit of 1967.
Mr Justice Blackburne ruled that Matthew Fisher, who played the haunting Hammond organ parts on the Procol Harum record which sold 10 million copies, is entitled to a 40% share of the musical copyright.
Fisher, a classically-trained musician who now works as a computer programmer in Croydon, south London, had claimed a half share from Brooker.
But he was awarded the lesser amount because the judge found that although the Fisher contribution to A Whiter Shade Of Pale was “substantial”, it was not as substantial as that of the singer.
The judge also rejected Fisher’s claim for back royalties, which some sources had estimated at around £1m (€1.5m).
But the singer, who still fronts Procol Harum, faces paying a large part of a legal costs bill estimated at around £500,000 (€745,000).
Fisher claimed at a hearing last month that his solos and repeated theme were so important to the success of the song that he should get his share of the continuing royalty income.
