Estates of Jimi Hendrix's Band Members to Sue Sony Over Album Rights

In a significant development from London's High Court, the estates of Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell, the British bassist and drummer of the legendary rock outfit The Jimi Hendrix Experience, have been granted the right to pursue legal action against Sony Music Entertainment. This legal move seeks to gain a share of the rights to the band's iconic 1960s albums.

Historic Albums in Question

The pivotal albums at the center of this legal action are the trio of classics from the 1960s produced by the band: 'Are You Experienced', 'Axis: Bold As Love', and 'Electric Ladyland'. These albums include revolutionary tracks such as 'Hey Joe', 'Purple Haze', and 'Foxy Lady' which played a key role in defining the era's psychedelic music movement and cementing Hendrix's place as a rock legend.

The Journey to the Courtroom

The cause represents the interests of the late Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell, both core members of Jimi Hendrix's band until their respective deaths in 2003 and 2008. Their heirs had assigned any potential rights related to the albums to two dedicated companies, Noel Redding Estate Ltd and Mitch Mitchell Estate Ltd, which initiated the lawsuit against Sony in 2022. The goal of the lawsuit is to legally acknowledge their ownership stake in the copyright of the sound recordings from the three albums.

Challenges to the Case

Sony's response to the lawsuit included an attempt to dismiss the case by referencing agreements signed by Redding and Mitchell in the early 1970s. In these agreements, both members accepted financial settlements in exchange for not pursuing legal claims against Hendrix's estate or any associated record companies. However, Judge Michael Green concluded that these past agreements would not prevent a full trial, now scheduled to take place in 2025.

Response to the Ruling

The court's decision to deny Sony's request to halt the lawsuit has been met with approval from Lawrence Abramson, representing the plaintiffs, who underscored the significant contributions of both Redding and Mitchell to Hendrix's recordings and success. Meanwhile, Sony has not immediately offered public commentary on the ruling. The impending trial is awaited with anticipation for its potential implications on copyright law and artist rights.

lawsuit, copyright, music