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Apple: Apple Corps Didn't Object to iTMS During Pre-Release Demo

Wednesday, April 5th, 2006 at 1:55 PM - by Staff

Apple Computer demonstrated the iTunes Music Store to Apple Corps executives four months before it launched and didn't hear an objection, an Apple attorney revealed in a London court on Wednesday. According to an IDG News Service article, closing arguments have been made and Justice Edward Mann said he will likely issue his ruling by the end of the month.

Reporter Jeremy Kirk said in his article that Apple Computer attorney Anthony Grabiner characterized Apple Corps chief Neil Aspinall's testimony as "self-serving" and "obviously the product of discussion with lawyers."

In his closing remarks, Apple Corps attorney Geoffrey Vos referred to Apple Computer as a "Johnny-come-lately" with regard to the Apple trademark, and said that the company "has been trying to take more and more away from us."

If the ruling goes against Apple, the company will have to change its logo presentation within iTunes, as well as in related advertising and marketing materials. Apple Corps could then pursue monetary damages, although, as Mr. Kirk noted in his story, the iTunes Music Store doesn't make a lot of money for Apple since most of the music revenue goes to the record labels and the company has to pay for the infrastructure.

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A guest said: (hide)

Wed Apr 05, 2006 2:36 pm

What a human waste of time. What significant and social benefit has Apple Corps provided to this earth? That's what I thought. Let's be honest, the Beatles aren't as big as Jesus, and in my opinion can't eeven sing all that well. What a greedy bunch.

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Dreadnought said:

member since 01 Jan 2005 with 162 posts, unranked, send him a message or view his profile

Wed Apr 05, 2006 2:58 pm

The sad thing about this is that Apple Corps doesn't even OWN the Beatles catalog anymore. Wikipedia notes the following about the rights to the Beatles music:

Quote:
In 1963 The Beatles gave their song publishing rights to Northern Songs, a company created by Brian Epstein and music publisher Dick James. Northern Songs went public in 1965 with Lennon and McCartney each holding 15% of the company's shares while Dick James and the company's chairman, Charles Silver, held a controlling 37.5%. In 1969, following a failed attempt by Lennon and McCartney to buy back the company, James and Silver sold Northern Songs to British TV company Associated TeleVision (ATV), in which Lennon and McCartney received stock.

In 1985 ATV's music catalogue was sold to Michael Jackson for a reported $47 million (beating McCartney's bid), including the publishing rights to over 200 Beatles songs. A decade later Jackson and Sony merged their music publishing businesses. Since 1995 Jackson and Sony/ATV Music Publishing have jointly owned most of The Beatles' songs. Sony later reported that Jackson had used his share of their co-owned Beatles' catalogue as collateral for a loan from the music company. Meanwhile Lennon's estate and McCartney still receive their standard songwriter shares of the royalties.

Although the Jackson-Sony catalogue includes most of The Beatles' greatest hits, a few of the early songs weren't included in the original ATV deal and McCartney later succeeded in personally acquiring the publishing rights to "Love Me Do," "Please Please Me," "P.S. I Love You" and "Ask Me Why".

Harrison and Starr didn't renew their songwriting contracts with Northern Songs in 1968, signing with Apple Publishing instead. Harrison later created Harrisongs, his own company which still owns the rights to his classics such as "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" and "Something".

So, the Beatles (or their estates) make little or any money from their music via Apple Corps. So what is the point?

Just crazy Yoko f*cking everything up again, no doubt.

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Biff said:

member since 08 Apr 2004 with 1479 posts, unranked, send him a message or view his profile

Wed Apr 05, 2006 4:35 pm

"Apple Computer demonstrated the iTunes Music Store to Apple Corps executives four months before it launched and didn't hear an objection, an Apple attorney revealed in a London court on Wednesday."

Owned!

"Apple Corps attorney Geoffrey Vos referred to Apple Computer as a "Johnny-come-lately" with regard to the Apple trademark, and said that the company "has been trying to take more and more away from us."

What has Apple ever taken away from them?!? Example, please!

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LaurieF said:

member since 15 Jun 2001 with 3547 posts, TMO Forum Mod, send him a message or view his profile

Wed Apr 05, 2006 6:17 pm

Anonymous wrote:
What a human waste of time. What significant and social benefit has Apple Corps provided to this earth? That's what I thought. Let's be honest, the Beatles aren't as big as Jesus, and in my opinion can't eeven sing all that well. What a greedy bunch.

Aren't as big as Jesus? Well, Jesus isn't huge in the popular music market (although he's arguably a major player in the classical area). The Beatles still are.

Can't even sing all that well? What relevance is that?

Idiot.

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A guest said: (hide)

Wed Apr 05, 2006 9:20 pm

I remember back in 1966, when I was teenager, that there was a big scandal when John Lennon said that the Beatles were "more popular than Jesus."

I Googled it, read more at http://www.newsoftheodd.com/article1012.html

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A guest said: (hide)

Wed Apr 05, 2006 11:05 pm

Why does member info say "send him a message" or "view his profile"? Are you all hims on here?

just wondering,

the wandering troll

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dhp said:

member since 22 May 2003 with 182 posts, unranked, send him a message or view his profile

Thu Apr 06, 2006 2:03 am

Dreadnought wrote:
So, the Beatles (or their estates) make little or any money from their music via Apple Corps. So what is the point?

Just crazy Yoko f*cking everything up again, no doubt.

Dreadnought, go away and come back when you know the difference between a music publisher and a record label. And learn a little about Yoko Ono while you're at it.

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A guest said: (hide)

Thu Apr 06, 2006 9:05 am

I am a Guy

Guest wrote:
Why does member info say "send him a message" or "view his profile"? Are you all hims on here?

just wondering,

the wandering troll

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jfbiii said:

member since 06 May 2004 with 109 posts, unranked, send him a message or view his profile

Fri Apr 07, 2006 11:24 am

Quote:
In his closing remarks, Apple Corps attorney Geoffrey Vos referred to Apple Computer as a "Johnny-come-lately" with regard to the Apple trademark, and said that the company "has been trying to take more and more away from us."
You have to have something for someone to take something away from you. Last I checked, Apple Corpse doesn't have a computer business, they don't have an mp3 player, and they don't have an online music business. All they have is a vaporous trademark. Big whooppee $#!%.

Apple Corpse is the group trying to take something away from a company that actually makes products and provides services to people. Products and services that people actually want.

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