Website chases stars with unpaid royalties

Music stars such as Sex Pistols frontman John Lydon, David Essex and voice of Bob The Builder, Neil Morrissey, are in line for a cash bonanza for unclaimed record royalties.

Millions of pounds are waiting to be claimed to by more than 5,000 high profile stars and little known musicians.

Now royalties body PPL (Phonographic Performance Limited) has launched a website to encourage those eligible to apply.

Among those listed on the site are international stars such as opera heavyweight Luciano Pavarotti and Four Seasons singer Frankie Valli.

Others in line for windfalls are former Smiths frontman Morrissey, Stepping Out singer Joe Jackson and Dead Or Alive singer Pete Burns.

Musical maverick Julian Cope, one hit wonder Mr Oizo and Cocteau Twins singer Liz Fraser can claim.

More obscure artists are also eligible. They include Pui Fan Lee – Po from the Teletubbies who had a number one hit – and Giorgio Kilkenny, the Dexy’s Midnight Runners bassist who played on enduring hit Come On Eileen.

PPL spokeswoman Jill Drew said: “Most of the musicians can expect anything from £25 (€38) to £500 (€764), but in a few cases they will be sitting on thousands of pounds.

“With many of them it’s not that we don’t know how to get hold of them, it’s simply that they haven’t yet filled out the paperwork and this will be a gentle reminder.”

PPL – which has teamed up with organisations such as performers unions to create the website www.royaltiesreunited.co.uk – launched a search for a number of musicians a year ago and has since distributed more than £1m (€1.5m).

Session musician Duncan Mackay was among those who benefited after performing on tracks by the likes of Primal Scream, Richard Ashcroft and Embrace.

“I was aware that you could get paid if the records that you’d played on received airplay but I didn’t ever think that I would get anything out of it – I presumed it would be pennies rather than pounds,” he said.

“You have to follow things through – it’s great that musicians are being chased to be given this money that they’re owed.”

Blur drummer Dave Rowntree, who is helping to spearhead the campaign, said: “There are millions of pounds owed to performers who haven’t collected it simply because they haven’t registered with a collecting society.”