How did Paul McCartney react to Michael Jackson buying the Beatles rights?

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

The following passage in the Guardian caught my eye amongst acres of newsprint about Michael Jackson this week:

''In 1984, he had been collaborating with Paul McCartney, who mentioned to Jackson his plans to buy the (Beatles) catalogue himself from the Australian businessman Robert Holmes á Court. But before McCartney could make his next move, Jackson telephoned John Branca, his lawyer, and, for $47.5m, the deal was done.''

I knew that this deal took place but had no idea how underhand Jackson had been over it. The article suggests a complete betrayal of trust. Is this really what happened? Did McCartney ever point the finger at Jackson over this matter? Any enlightenment appreciated.

― Kim Tortoise, Thursday, 16 June 2005 09:51 (twenty years ago)

He did a terrible duet with him

― Dadaismus (Dada), Thursday, 16 June 2005 09:53 (twenty years ago)

low blow.

― N_RQ, Thursday, 16 June 2005 09:59 (twenty years ago)

No, it was called "The girl is mine"

― mark grout (mark grout), Thursday, 16 June 2005 10:00 (twenty years ago)

How can Jacko be skint when he owns the Beatles?

― Dadaismus (Dada), Thursday, 16 June 2005 10:01 (twenty years ago)

I think he's pawned the Beatles.

― mark grout (mark grout), Thursday, 16 June 2005 10:02 (twenty years ago)

He still owns it but jointly with his record label. He merged it with part of Sony's back catalogue so if he sells it, they get first option on it.

― Kim Tortoise, Thursday, 16 June 2005 10:23 (twenty years ago)

The story McCartney tells is that they were pretty good friends having done a few tracks together and Jackson had just made pots of money from Thriller and went to McCartney for advice on how to invest his cash. McCartney suggested that Jackson do what he had done and invest in song catalogues. Jackson promptly went out and bought The Beatles catalogue, pissing off Macca greatly and ending their friendship especially when he refused to raise the royalty rate that McC was getting.

So, yes, betrayal of trust about covers it.

― mms (mms), Thursday, 16 June 2005 10:29 (twenty years ago)

Who did McCartney betray when he bought Buddy Holly's catalogue?

― Dadaismus (Dada), Thursday, 16 June 2005 10:31 (twenty years ago)

Jackson had just made pots of money from Thriller and went to McCartney for advice on how to invest his cash. McCartney suggested that Jackson do what he had done and invest in song catalogues.

anyone who has read about apple will find this amusing. did jacko also propr up an underground newspaper?

― N_RQ, Thursday, 16 June 2005 10:33 (twenty years ago)

He did a terrible duet with him

He did one almost half-decent one as well.

― NickB (NickB), Thursday, 16 June 2005 10:37 (twenty years ago)

I would say that "Freedom" by Paul McCartney in a fireman's helmet is a far greater affront to the Beatles back catalogue than Michael Jackson buying it.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Thursday, 16 June 2005 10:38 (twenty years ago)

xpost:
I remember seeing Paul on some tv show and saying that in the early '80s, he had advised MJ to put a portion of his new fortune in music publishing. It was a solid investment, and, obviously, an area of interest. He said, "find some music you love, and buy the publishing rights". I believe Paul owns the Buddy Holly catalog, for instance.
So Michael says "I'm going to buy your songs". Paul says, "yeah, okay. yeah. right", thinking a) he's joking; and b) there's no way it's even possible. A few months later he gets the news that Michael Jackson has indeed bought up - via a number of agents- Northern Songs.
Paul's response, verbatim : "What a creep".

Or at least that's how I remember it.

On a side note, Ringo was on with Phil Donahue a few years ago and the question was posed: "How do you feel about Michael Jackson owning the rights to your music?"
Ringo: "Oh no, he only owns John and Pauls songs. I still own Octopus's Garden."

― Mike Dixn (Mike Dixon), Thursday, 16 June 2005 10:39 (twenty years ago)

I think Sony are hoping that, since Jackson is so desperate for cash, they'll get a really good deal on his share of the rights.

― Mädchen (Madchen), Thursday, 16 June 2005 10:55 (twenty years ago)

i was also wondering how he could be broke with the rights of the beatles' songs + his own ??

― AleXTC (AleXTC), Thursday, 16 June 2005 11:08 (twenty years ago)

i think someone else has had this idea since, but i had it first: MJ needs to commission a series of 'uniting nations' style cheesy-house remixes of beatles records with ultra-bad pervy vids. it would kill rockism forever.

― N_RQ, Thursday, 16 June 2005 11:13 (twenty years ago)

I read that as "ultra-bad pervy kids" - I think his lawyers would advise against that in the circumstances

― Dadaismus (Dada), Thursday, 16 June 2005 11:14 (twenty years ago)

(xpost x 3)

well, you know, it's mike tyson all over again - reckless frittering away of money, not that many hits in the last ten years...

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Thursday, 16 June 2005 11:42 (twenty years ago)

And in both cases trounced by a talentless Irish lummox - Bono in Jacko's case?

― Dadaismus (Dada), Thursday, 16 June 2005 11:45 (twenty years ago)

It's not like he stole the songs from Paul -- wouldn't he rather a friend owned them than this Australian businessman?

― Mark (MarkR), Thursday, 16 June 2005 12:07 (twenty years ago)

Ringo: "Oh no, he only owns John and Pauls songs. I still own Octopus's Garden."

The man rises even higher in my estimation. Everyone buys Abbey Road for The Other Bits and he sits back and counts the cash from that one.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 16 June 2005 12:09 (twenty years ago)

How much money do you think it takes just to run a week of Neverland?

Imagine the power bill. The feeding the animals. The cleaning people, the repair people for the rides etc. And add to that the money that he greases everybody with so that they keep their mouth shut... Tons of money

― blawa (blawa), Thursday, 16 June 2005 12:11 (twenty years ago)

yeah but tyson didn't have big money such as that of the beatles catalogue cashing in no matter what. i can understand that he's low on cash flow right now but that huge income (+ many other sources such as his own rights etc) should make up for that in the distance...

― AleXTC (AleXTC), Thursday, 16 June 2005 12:12 (twenty years ago)

yeah, that ringo quote is brilliant. should be on the "luckiest man ever" thread !

― AleXTC (AleXTC), Thursday, 16 June 2005 12:12 (twenty years ago)

You haven't seen the VH1 clip about this? I can probably recite it verbatim by now.

"I confronted him about it, and he said 'well, that's business.' Well yeah, it's business, but it's other things as well, it's also friendship."

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Thursday, 16 June 2005 12:12 (twenty years ago)

isn't friendship business ?

― AleXTC (AleXTC), Thursday, 16 June 2005 12:14 (twenty years ago)

well I suppose it is if your idea of a playdate is making top five singles with videos starring your sister as the romantic interest.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Thursday, 16 June 2005 12:16 (twenty years ago)

Again: Paul didn't own Northern Songs. Was he already angry at the Australian guy for owning it?

― Mark (MarkR), Thursday, 16 June 2005 12:16 (twenty years ago)

Who is the Australian guy? Robert Stigwood?

― Dadaismus (Dada), Thursday, 16 June 2005 12:17 (twenty years ago)

... oh, Robert Holmes á Court - who he?

― Dadaismus (Dada), Thursday, 16 June 2005 12:18 (twenty years ago)

i won't cry on paul's "misfortune" on that one... it's not like he needs the money !

― AleXTC (AleXTC), Thursday, 16 June 2005 12:19 (twenty years ago)

There was a "what now, after the acquittal" piece on All Things Considered yesterday or day before, and the $270 million debt figure that's being tossed around involves a loan of that amt. to Jackson by [name of bank escapes me, possible Bank of America] with the music publishing and Neverland as collateral. So if he starts missing payment deadlines or whatever, this bank can pressure or force him to start divesting. I'd love to see Paul — even better, a Paul/Yoko consortium — get the Beatles catalogue back.

― Rock Hardy (Rock Hardy), Thursday, 16 June 2005 12:22 (twenty years ago)

Correction, it was on "Day to Day." http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4702842

― Rock Hardy (Rock Hardy), Thursday, 16 June 2005 12:27 (twenty years ago)

Does Ringo own the rights to "Wrack My Brain"?

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Thursday, 16 June 2005 12:28 (twenty years ago)

is this all the michael/paul songs
the girl is mine,the man, say,say,say,girlfriend,
didn't michael want the starkey or harrison catalogue ?
paul should offer michael what michael paid for them - michael needs moeny.

― jichael mackson, Thursday, 16 June 2005 12:28 (twenty years ago)

good one ringo but no one wants to hear ocopuses garden -they want "revolution" for a nike ad.

― jichael mackson, Thursday, 16 June 2005 12:31 (twenty years ago)

paul should offer michael what michael paid for them - michael needs moeny.

On a longer term, Jackson gets more money from owning those rights than from selling them.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Thursday, 16 June 2005 13:15 (twenty years ago)

I think he's pwned the Beatles.

fixed

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Thursday, 16 June 2005 13:19 (twenty years ago)

"The songs are mine
The doggone songs are mine
I know their mine
Because the doggone songs are mine"

(Paul)
Michael, we're not going to fight about this, okay

(Michael)
Paul, I think I told you, I'm a lover not a fighter

(Paul)
I've heard it all before, Michael, she told me that I'm her forever lover, you know, don't you remember

(Michael)
Well, after loving me, she said she couldn't love another

(Paul)
Is that what she said

(Michael)
Yes, she said it, you keep dreaming

(Paul)
I don't believe it

(Michael & Paul)
The songs are mine (mine, mine, mine)

― Dadaismus (Dada), Thursday, 16 June 2005 13:20 (twenty years ago)

Is this thread really saying: "Jacko Prevents Macca's Billionairehood"?

I mean, McCartney's worth £760 million WITHOUT owning his Beatles publishing rights and is easily the richest 'proper' musician in the country (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2108-1066949,00.html). Presumably if Jackson gave the rights back (they must be worth more than £240m) then McCartney would be worth over a thousand million, i.e. a billion?

― D.G. Jones (D.G. Jones), Thursday, 16 June 2005 14:21 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, but presumably he won't be 'giving' them back.

If paul paid the &240m, then he'd only be half the billionaire he'd like to be.

― mark grout (mark grout), Thursday, 16 June 2005 14:25 (twenty years ago)

wow, if the beatles rights are worth more than £240m (around 440 million $) how can MJ be 270m $ in debt ??
he's a king, indeed !

― AleXTC (AleXTC), Thursday, 16 June 2005 14:40 (twenty years ago)

i was also wondering how he could be broke with the rights of the beatles' songs + his own ??

i recently saw a rundown of how the guy spends money and it's fucking incredible. you wouldn't believe.

is this all the michael/paul songs
the girl is mine,the man, say,say,say,girlfriend,

Jackson didn't cowrite Girlfriend, it was a cover.

― kyle (akmonday), Thursday, 16 June 2005 14:46 (twenty years ago)

Again: Paul didn't own Northern Songs. Was he already angry at the Australian guy for owning it?

He was trying to buy the catalogue at the time, wasn't he?

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Thursday, 16 June 2005 14:53 (twenty years ago)

I heard "invincible" cost a

― AleXTC (AleXTC), Thursday, 16 June 2005 15:03 (twenty years ago)

I heard "invincible" cost a lot $$$... i should listen to it sometime to hear what big bling sounds like !

― AleXTC (AleXTC), Thursday, 16 June 2005 15:04 (twenty years ago)

He still owns it but jointly with his record label. He merged it with part of Sony's back catalogue so if he sells it, they get first option on it.
This is an important yet overlooked fact. Especially when you consider the following.
How much money do you think it takes just to run a week of Neverland?
Imagine the power bill. The feeding the animals. The cleaning people, the repair people for the rides etc. And add to that the money that he greases everybody with so that they keep their mouth shut... Tons of money.
Yes. In fact, the last time I checked, Jacko was something like $45 million dollars in the red, and owed some undisclosed (but still astronomically large) amount in hock to Sony. And I don't think paying for lawyers helped his financial situation all that much.
Which is why Sony is waiting, with knives and forks at the ready, for when Jackson finally goes bankrupt. Then they can get all those Beatles songs at fire sale prices.

― Lord Custos Omicron (Lord Custos Omicron), Thursday, 16 June 2005 16:29 (twenty years ago)

Ah, somebody else already started part of the 'bankruptcy' scenario.
There was a "what now, after the acquittal" piece on All Things Considered yesterday or day before, and the $270 million debt figure that's being tossed around involves a loan of that amt. to Jackson by [name of bank escapes me, possible Bank of America] with the music publishing and Neverland as collateral. So if he starts missing payment deadlines or whatever, this bank can pressure or force him to start divesting. I'd love to see Paul — even better, a Paul/Yoko consortium — get the Beatles catalogue back.
Does anyone have anymore details on the Bank and how Sony fits into this. Or how much, exactly, Jackson is (worth|spending|in the hole|in debt to the Bank|in debt to Sony)?

― Lord Custos Omicron (Lord Custos Omicron), Thursday, 16 June 2005 16:33 (twenty years ago)

The best / rudest part of that VH1 clip - Macca derisively talking all wispy when quoting MJ.

― David R. (popshots75`), Thursday, 16 June 2005 16:35 (twenty years ago)

that is friggin HILARIOUS

― Zack Richardson (teenagequiet), Thursday, 16 June 2005 16:35 (twenty years ago)

Macca and Yoko were bidding together on the Northern Songs catalogue at the same time as Jackson, but decided the bidding had gone too high. Jackson paid top dollar for them, and McCartney's famous financial "carefulness" cost him big time. If he'd been taking care of business back in the '60s he wouldn't have lost them in the first place. Though I do think he and Yoko should own them. I read a biography of Jackson not long ago, and it described Jacko jumping up and down and whooping in John Branca's office squeaking "Get me those songs, Branca!". The mental image makes me laugh every time I think of it...dunno why

― musicjohn73 (musicjohn73), Thursday, 16 June 2005 16:50 (twenty years ago)

"Hooooo!"

― donut e-goo (donut), Thursday, 16 June 2005 18:31 (twenty years ago)

Okay, I just listened to that "Day to Day" piece again. The $270 million loan, secured by the music publishing business and Neverland ranch, was from Bank of America, but BoA recently sold the loan to a company called Fortress Capital. So whoever Fortress Capital is, they've got hella leverage. Also worth noting is that the music publishing biz was valued at $1 billion, but Jacko only owns 50% of it.

Best quote in the story: "He's not going to sleep with young boys anymore, and I think that's probably the worst kind of brand equity he could begin building."

― Rock Hardy (Rock Hardy), Thursday, 16 June 2005 18:54 (twenty years ago)

Musicians are overpaid...that times online list is obscene.

And why does it read 'Madonna and Guy Ritchie' and not Elton John and David Furnish or Sting and Trudi Styler for example?

― Bob Six (bobbysix), Thursday, 16 June 2005 21:00 (twenty years ago)

Madonna actually married?

― The Sensational Sulk (sexyDancer), Thursday, 16 June 2005 21:02 (twenty years ago)

He did a terrible duet with him
Two, actually. "The Girl is Mine" and "Say Say Say"

― Lord Custos Omicron (Lord Custos Omicron), Friday, 17 June 2005 11:00 (twenty years ago)

ten years pass...

Impressive how this version of events took hold...

Anyway - can someone explain to me what publishing rights are? Like, Michael bought the rights to - license new recordings?

― niels, Monday, 28 September 2015 13:04 (ten years ago)

Not quite. It's complex, but this just about sums it up: http://akbllp.com/protecting-your-musical-copyrights/what-are-music-publishing-rights/

― Hey Bob (Scik Mouthy), Monday, 28 September 2015 13:32 (ten years ago)

I watched a small Japanese film last week, Norwegian Wood, and was wondering how they managed to afford licensing for the title song, which is played in its entirety over the end credits. The Mad Men people are supposed to have paid an astronomical sum for "Tomorrow Never Knows."

― clemenza, Monday, 28 September 2015 13:46 (ten years ago)

Check if it's a cover version.

― Mark G, Monday, 28 September 2015 14:07 (ten years ago)

A character plays a cover version during the film, but it's absolutely the Beatles over the end credits.

― clemenza, Monday, 28 September 2015 19:21 (ten years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.