Tuesday, August 15, 2017

14 AUGUST

In Music History

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2017Taylor Swift wins her lawsuit against David Mueller, a DJ at KYGO in Denver who was fired after Swift accused him of groping her at a photo session before her concert there in 2013. When Mueller sued Swift in 2015, she countersued for sexual assault. Swift, who in her hour of testimony said Mueller was "grabbing my ass against my will, underneath my skirt, and refusing to let go," is awarded $1 at her request. "My hope is to help those whose voices should also be heard," she says.
2016Nearing the end of a summer concert season where fans have been tailgating with improvised toilets, police in Mansfield, Massachusetts, warn they will not be tolerated at the upcoming Jimmy Buffett concert.More
2016Former Nine Inch Nails keyboardist James Woolley, who played with the band from 1991-1994, falls from a ladder at his Illinois studio and dies from resulting neck injuries at age 49.
2013Allen Lanier (keyboardist/rhythm guitarist for Blue Oyster Cult) dies of complications from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (C.O.P.D) in Manhattan, New York, at age 67.
2012John Geils, former guitarist for the semi-retired J. Geils Band, files suit against the other band members to stop them from touring under his name... since he's left the band. The irony stings like bleach in a wound! Despite this move, the remaining members of the band say they'll tour anyway.
2010Richie Hayward (drummer for Little Feat) dies of lung disease, while also struggling with liver cancer, in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, at age 64.
2007The High School Musical 2 soundtrack is released, going straight to #1 US its first week, when it sells about 615,000 copies. It closes out 2007 as the second-best seller of the year, moving nearly 3 million copies. Only Josh Groban's Christmas album Noël sells more.
2007Country singer Luke Bryan releases his debut album, I'll Stay Me.
1999Former teen idol Leif Garrett pleads guilty to drug possession in Los Angeles and is ordered into rehab. 
1992Tony Williams (of The Platters) dies of emphysema at age 64 in Manhattan, New York.
1992Wayne Newton files for bankruptcy.
1991The Commitments opens in limited release in the US. The film features all four Corrs in small parts, including the youngest, Andrea, in a speaking role as Sharon Rabbitte. While auditioning for the film, The Corrs connect with future manager John Hughes who helps the group hone their sound and eventually sign a deal with Atlantic Records for their debut album, Forgiven, Not Forgotten.
1991Tony Orlando and his wife Francine become the proud parents of their first child, Jenny Rose. 
1988Bluesman Roy Buchanan dies of an apparent suicide (though friends and family dispute this) at age 48 in Fairfax, Virginia. 
1988Robert Calvert (frontman for Hawkwind) dies of a heart attack at age 43 in Ramsgate, England.
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Michael Jackson Buys Beatles Catalog

1985
Three years after their duet "The Girl Is Mine," Paul McCartney advises Michael Jackson to invest in publishing. Jackson makes a winning bid of $47.5 million for the rights to over 250 Lennon-McCartney Beatles songs owned by ATV publishing, which turns out to be a great investment, but kills their friendship.
McCartney had considered purchasing the ATV catalog, including thousands of pop songs in addition to a sizable portion of the Beatles' collection a few years earlier as a joint venture with Yoko Ono, but the deal didn't pan out. He and John Lennon lost the publishing rights to most of their songs in 1969 when two of the partners in their publishing company, Northern Songs, sold their shares to ATV Music without warning. Efforts to reacquire the catalog were futile, forcing them to sell out to ATV, though still receiving writer's royalties. 

By the time Jackson swoops in, he's already dabbled in investing in music publishing, acquiring the rights to songs by Sly Stone and Dion, under pal McCartney's advice. When the Beatles' songs come up for grabs, Jackson tells McCartney of his intentions, but the former Beatle thinks he's joking and is shocked when the King of Pop places his hefty bid.

It's a shrewd business move for Jackson, who is otherwise beset with financial difficulties throughout the rest of his career, even after his death. McCartney is miffed, not wanting to pay Jackson every time he wants to sing one of his own songs (by 2012, it can cost up to $250,000 to license a Beatles song), and their friendship effectively ends. Jackson eventually merges his catalog with Sony Music's publishing, establishing Sony/ATV Music Publishing, and retains a half ownership. In 2016, seven years after Jackson's death, Sony buys out his shares for $750 million, leaving McCartney in the dust once again.

McCartney does succeed in acquiring the rights to some of the Fab Four's EMI tunes, published by Ardmore and Beechwood, including "Love Me Do" and "P.S. I Love You."

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