[909]

Well--here is the link to the news story:
http://arts.guardian.co.uk/news/stor...753832,00.html



I still can not understand (or even accept) why Paul did not do everything within his power to purchase the rights to his work as a Beatle. I am sure he had the personal resources and if needed the other living Beatles and even Yoko might have chipped in to assist in the acquisition. Yet that didn't happen.

As we know Jackson bought it (or half of it to be exact and Sony the other); and it appears that Sony will eventually own the entire catalogue (they will increase their holdings by an additional 25% within the coming years). The entire catalogue has a current estimated net worth of 1 billion dollars and generates revenue every time a song is played. Jackson paid $47.5 million for a 50% share in the 1980s, which is now worth times tens his initial investment. Edit: Jackson paid $47.5 million for the entire catalogue since he needed to sell a 50% interest to Sony years earlier due to financial difficulties.

I bet especially Paul who told Jackson about it when they were recording the girl is mine before the release of Thriller (and the other Beatles—wives, children, etc) still have regret about the situation and not out bidding Jackson.

 

[dvallere]

I think you might be overestimating the willingness of Paul and Yoko to work together for any reason. I have read that there is terrible animosity there, and I'm not sure Yoko would chip in even to save John's work.

I've read this kind of thing before - artist creates a work and sells the rights to it, and then when the new owner starts doing something the artist feels is wrong, the artist gets up in arms about it - but of course has no legal recourse. I don't understand it either. Why would anyone sell the rights to their own catalogues without maintaining some kind of creative consultant position (like a lot of authors do when their books are made into movies)? I just don't get it.