FLEETWOOD MAC - FLEETWOOD LOSES DISTRIBUTION RIGHTS CASE

FLEETWOOD LOSES DISTRIBUTION RIGHTS CASE

FLEETWOOD MAC drummer MICK FLEETWOOD has lost a long-running battle against the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) over distribution rights for the legendary band's music. Fleetwood launched a lawsuit against the company four years ago over the rights for rare music recordings and videotapes of the group held in the BBC's music archives. The dispute centred on a music-sharing deal signed in 2001, in which Fleetwood was supposed to get clearance to release archived material from artists including Bruce Springsteen, U2, Sir Elton John and Santana. But a judge in the U.S. state of Maine ruled against Fleetwood on Thursday (14Feb08), accusing his business partner Joseph MCNulty of being "obsessed" with wresting exclusive rights from the BBC, even though it was not in the terms of the agreement. Judge James Haines insisted BBC executives tried to make the deal work, adding they had not acted illegally when the relationship was severed in 2003.