JOHNNY HALLYDAY - HALLYDAY LOSES LEGAL BATTLE WITH UNIVERSAL

HALLYDAY LOSES LEGAL BATTLE WITH UNIVERSAL

French rocker JOHNNY HALLYDAY lost his two-year legal battle with Universal Music Group for control of his back catalogue yesterday (20DEC06). Hallyday - real name JEAN-PHILLIPPE SMET - originally lost his case in April 2005, and his subsequent appeal was rejected by the Cour de Cassation, the highest French court, yesterday. The ruling means Universal Music retains control of the master tapes Smet recorded between 1961 and 2004 - featuring over 1,000 songs including POUR MOI LA VIE VA COMMENCER and SOUVENIRS SOUVENIRS. Smet argued Universal tried to make him financially dependent by granting him loans totaling 16.3 million euros ($21.6 million/GBP11.1 million) between 1978 and 1997. He paid these back from revenues from his recordings. The ruling also upheld Smet's outstanding commitment to record one more album for Universal Music. A spokesperson for the French division of Universal says, "It is also good for all the employees of Universal, who whatever their position at the company, had felt like Hallyday's move put into question work done for 42 years."