“Clear and unequivocal.”

Jimi Hendrix bandmates’ estates lose royalty lawsuit over their classic recordings

The estates of Jimi Hendrix’s former Experience bandmates have lost a lawsuit seeking back royalties for their work on his recordings, after a High Court judge ruled that the relevant recording agreements clearly assigned copyright to the producers.

Bass guitarist Noel Redding and drummer Mitch Mitchell formed the Jimi Hendrix Experience with Hendrix in 1966. The trio went on to perform on Hendrix’s first three albums — Are You Experienced, Axis: Bold as Love and Electric Ladyland — as well as a range of singles and non-album tracks that helped define the electric guitarist’s breakthrough career.

The lawsuit, brought against Sony Music Entertainment UK, alleged that Redding and Mitchell were excluded from royalties during their lifetimes and “died in relative poverty,” despite the continued commercial success of Hendrix’s catalog. It further claimed that their successors were entitled to a share of ongoing revenues but had been excluded by the administrators of Hendrix’s estate.

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https://www.guitarplayer.com/guitarists/clear-and-unequivocal-jimi-hendrix-bandmates-estates-lose-royalty-lawsuit-over-their-classic-recordings