Law lords hear song dispute

A MUSICIAN who wrote the haunting organ part of pop classic A Whiter Shade Of Pale went to the House of Lords yesterday to try to win a share of the song’s royalties.

Lawyers involved in the case say it is the first time that the law lords, who preside over the highest court in the land, have been asked to decide on a copyright dispute involving a rock song.

Procol Harum’s massive worldwide hit of 1967 became the subject of a long-running legal dispute when Matthew Fisher, the former organist with the group, claimed he was entitled to a share of royalties from the song, named the most played tune in British public places over the past 70 years.