Collins sues tour horn players

http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2000/mar/30/paulkelso

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In the high court action Mr Collins, 49, yesterday claimed that excessive payments were made to Louis Satterfield and Rahmlee Davis, former members of Earth Wind and Fire, over a seven-year period.

Mr Satterfield, a trombonist and Mr Davis, a trumpeter, deny that they have been overpaid and will claim that withdrawal of royalties would leave them destitute.

The action, brought by Phil Collins Ltd, centres around a contract signed by the horn players prior to Mr Collins' 1990 world tour. Mr Satterfield and Mr Davis, along with two other members of their band, the Phoenix Horns, were paid a flat rate of $5,000 per week for the duration of the eight-month tour. The contract also contained a clause indicating they would receive a royalty of 0.5% on the resulting album.

Robert Howe, representing Phil Collins Ltd, told Mr Justice Jonathan Parker that because of an accounting error, Mr Satterfield, 62, and Mr Davis, 51, were paid the half-point royalty on all 15 tracks of the album rather than the five tracks to which they contributed. These payments continued for six-and-a-half years before the accounting error was spotted.

Mr Collins claims $780,000 (£500,000) has been paid to the pair since 1990, but he is not seeking to recover the full amount. Instead, said Mr Howe, what was at stake was the remaining sums Mr Collins's company claims the pair owe.

Referring to the relatively small amounts of money involved, Mr Justice Parker said: "It is not much is it ... For more than six years these royalties were paid and after six years a letter arrives to say in effect, 'Oh, it's a mistake'. It's not a very attractive position, is it?"

The hearing continues today.