Procol ex-organist plays in court Procol Harum's former organ player has appeared in court to play the keyboard in a bid to prove he wrote part of one of the band's greatest hits. Matthew Fisher claims he wrote the distinctive organ melody in the 1967 single A Whiter Shade of Pale.
For almost 40 years the number one song has been credited to the lead singer Gary Brooker and lyricist Keith Reid.
Mr Fisher claims he was inspired by the classical composer Bach but says he also had "his own ideas in his head."
― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 15 November 2006 10:09 (nineteen years ago)
― benrique (Enrique), Wednesday, 15 November 2006 10:14 (nineteen years ago)
― benrique (Enrique), Wednesday, 15 November 2006 10:15 (nineteen years ago)
OMG I got on the tube on my way home last night and found myself standing next to Fisher and his wife/partner
haha she was scouring London Lite trying to find any reports of the case (there were none, unsurprisingly)
― Jeff W (zebedee), Wednesday, 15 November 2006 11:21 (nineteen years ago)
Procol Harum ruling is overturned Singer Gary Brooker (left) claimed that the 2006 trial was unfair Procol Harum lead singer Gary Brooker has won back full royalty rights to the band's worldwide hit, A Whiter Shade of Pale, at London's Court of Appeal.
The decision overturns a 2006 ruling that organist Matthew Fisher was entitled to a 40% portion of royalties on the 1967 hit.
Mr Fisher, of south London, argued he had written the song's organ melody.
The court ruled there was an "excessive delay" in the claim being made - nearly 40 years after the song was recorded.
[Matthew Fisher] silently stood by and acquiesced in the defendant's commercial exploitation of the work for 38 years
Lord Justice Mummery
The Court of Appeal agreed that Mr Fisher had contributed the organ theme but ruled that he should, nevertheless, receive no money from past or future royalties. Mods: Take the question mark away from thread title ta.
― Mark G, Friday, 4 April 2008 13:58 (seventeen years ago)
So when do the writers of "When A Man Loves A Woman" get their cut?
― Dingbod Kesterson, Friday, 4 April 2008 14:25 (seventeen years ago)
Victory for Whiter Shade organist Procol Harum organist Matthew Fisher has won his long battle to be recognised as co-writer of the band's hit Whiter Shade of Pale.
Law Lords have ruled that Mr Fisher, who claimed he wrote the song's haunting organ melody, is entitled to a share of future royalties.
In 2006, the High Court ruled he was entitled to 40% of the copyright.
But the Court Of Appeal overturned the ruling last year saying he waited too long - 38 years - to bring the case.
As a result, the copyright reverted back to Procol Harum frontman Gary Brooker and lyricist Keith Reid.
Mods: Um, ....
― Mark G, Thursday, 30 July 2009 23:16 (sixteen years ago)
Law Lords?
― m0stlyClean, Thursday, 30 July 2009 23:42 (sixteen years ago)
yeah!
― Mark G, Friday, 31 July 2009 06:15 (sixteen years ago)