Summary
Former members of The Police, Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland, have filed a lawsuit against Sting over unpaid royalties from their time in the band. The dispute is about whether they deserve a share of both performance and mechanical royalties for songs recorded between 1977 and 1984. Sting denies underpaying his bandmates, and the case is currently in court.
Key Facts
- Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland have sued Sting over unpaid royalties from The Police's music.
- The lawsuit involves songs created between 1977 and 1984, including hits like "Roxanne" and "Every Breath You Take."
- Summers and Copeland claim there was an oral agreement in 1977 to share income, later formalized in written contracts.
- Sting's lawyer states the lawsuit's claims are not valid and denies underpayment.
- The dispute centers around whether Summers and Copeland should receive both performance and mechanical royalties.
- Sting argues the agreement only covers mechanical royalties.
- Summers and Copeland allege they have lost about £1,750,000 in royalties.
- The band's agreements were revised in 1981, 1995, and 2016, with the current legal debate focusing on the 2016 terms.
