Who owns piece of Seattle grunge history? Temple of the Dog master tapes. *Update! Deluxe Reissue?
http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/who-owns-piece-of-seattle-grunge-history-fight-is-on/
Originally published April 10, 2015 at 7:59 pm
Updated April 11, 2015 at 9:59 am
Musicians from Soundgarden combined with future Pearl Jam members to form Temple of the Dog in 1990. (Moskowitz)
A&M Records has sued the brother of a famed studio owner, alleging he is in possession of the master tapes to one of grunge’s defining albums, Temple of the Dog.
By Mike Carter
Seattle Times staff reporter
A legal fight is brewing over possession of the master recording tapes to one of the defining albums of grunge, Temple of the Dog, the sole endeavor by the supergroup of the same name whose lineup included members of Soundgarden and Pearl Jam.
Temple of the Dog was recorded in 1990 at London Bridge Studios in Seattle and became a platinum seller that brought together members of two of the city’s defining bands. The story behind the making of the album, recorded in just 15 days, has become a thing of grunge legend.
In a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Seattle earlier this week, A&M Records, which claims it bought the album from the band in 1991, alleges a Seattle man, Rajan Parashar — co-founder of London Bridge Studios — has the master tapes and won’t turn them over.
Parashar’s attorney, Warren Rheaume of the Seattle firm Davis Wright Tremaine, acknowledged on Friday his client has the master tapes.
“He’s had them all along,” Rheaume said, “They’re his.”
The band Temple of the Dog was founded by Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell, who was joined by guitarists Mike McCready and Stone Gossard, bassist Jeff Ament, Soundgarden drummer Matt Cameron and a second vocalist who had just arrived in Seattle named Eddie Vedder.
Cornell had been the roommate of Andrew Wood, the singer for the band Mother Love Bone, whose members included Gossard and Ament. After Wood died of a heroin overdose, Cornell wrote several songs about him and then recruited McCready and Gossard to join him in recording them.
Later that year, Vedder, Gossard, Ament and McCready would form Pearl Jam, which has since been joined by Cameron.
The self-titled album “Temple of the Dog” was released by A&M Records in 1991 to critical acclaim, but it did not chart, according to the history and music-industry news. That changed the following year, when A&M realized it was sitting on a collaboration of two of its most popular acts. The album was reissued in 1992 with a video of the single “Hunger Strike.” The album peaked at No. 5 on the U.S. Billboard 200.
According to the lawsuit, London Bridge Studio owner Rick Parashar, Rajan Parashar’s brother, initially produced Temple of the Dog on a verbal agreement with the band. After the album’s success, the lawsuit said, they memorialized the deal in a contract signed in 1993, in which A&M alleges Rick Parashar agreed to turn over the master tapes and all rights to them for $35,000.
The Parashar brothers built the studio in 1985. Helmed by Rick’s Parashar’s production and recording services, London Bridge became the vortex for the Seattle grunge recording scene. Rick Parashar’s credits include multiplatinum releases for Temple of the Dog, Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, Blind Melon and Dinosaur Jr.
Rheaume said that Rajan Parashar was not part of any agreement between his brother and A&M.
Temple of the Dog recorded that one album and played only a single full concert set before its members went their own directions, although Cornell has joined Vedder and Pearl Jam several times to perform some Temple of the Dog songs.
According to the lawsuit, A&M “believed the artists to be in possession of the master recordings” until May 2013, when “a representative of the artists contacted A&M and informed A&M that [Rajan Parashar] and Rick Parashar” had them.
The lawsuit claims that Rick Parashar failed to respond to several requests by A&M’s attorneys at the Seattle law firm of K&L Gates to turn over the tapes. Rick Parashar died in August. Eventually, the lawsuit claims, Rick Parashar’s manager said the tapes were in the possession of Rajan Parashar.
The lawsuit demands he turn the tapes over immediately, and asks the court for damages and attorneys’ fees.
Telephone and email messages sent Friday to A&M’s attorneys were not returned.
Mike Carter
Originally published April 10, 2015 at 7:59 pm
Updated April 11, 2015 at 9:59 am
Musicians from Soundgarden combined with future Pearl Jam members to form Temple of the Dog in 1990. (Moskowitz)
A&M Records has sued the brother of a famed studio owner, alleging he is in possession of the master tapes to one of grunge’s defining albums, Temple of the Dog.
By Mike Carter
Seattle Times staff reporter
A legal fight is brewing over possession of the master recording tapes to one of the defining albums of grunge, Temple of the Dog, the sole endeavor by the supergroup of the same name whose lineup included members of Soundgarden and Pearl Jam.
Temple of the Dog was recorded in 1990 at London Bridge Studios in Seattle and became a platinum seller that brought together members of two of the city’s defining bands. The story behind the making of the album, recorded in just 15 days, has become a thing of grunge legend.
In a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Seattle earlier this week, A&M Records, which claims it bought the album from the band in 1991, alleges a Seattle man, Rajan Parashar — co-founder of London Bridge Studios — has the master tapes and won’t turn them over.
Parashar’s attorney, Warren Rheaume of the Seattle firm Davis Wright Tremaine, acknowledged on Friday his client has the master tapes.
“He’s had them all along,” Rheaume said, “They’re his.”
The band Temple of the Dog was founded by Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell, who was joined by guitarists Mike McCready and Stone Gossard, bassist Jeff Ament, Soundgarden drummer Matt Cameron and a second vocalist who had just arrived in Seattle named Eddie Vedder.
Cornell had been the roommate of Andrew Wood, the singer for the band Mother Love Bone, whose members included Gossard and Ament. After Wood died of a heroin overdose, Cornell wrote several songs about him and then recruited McCready and Gossard to join him in recording them.
Later that year, Vedder, Gossard, Ament and McCready would form Pearl Jam, which has since been joined by Cameron.
The self-titled album “Temple of the Dog” was released by A&M Records in 1991 to critical acclaim, but it did not chart, according to the history and music-industry news. That changed the following year, when A&M realized it was sitting on a collaboration of two of its most popular acts. The album was reissued in 1992 with a video of the single “Hunger Strike.” The album peaked at No. 5 on the U.S. Billboard 200.
According to the lawsuit, London Bridge Studio owner Rick Parashar, Rajan Parashar’s brother, initially produced Temple of the Dog on a verbal agreement with the band. After the album’s success, the lawsuit said, they memorialized the deal in a contract signed in 1993, in which A&M alleges Rick Parashar agreed to turn over the master tapes and all rights to them for $35,000.
The Parashar brothers built the studio in 1985. Helmed by Rick’s Parashar’s production and recording services, London Bridge became the vortex for the Seattle grunge recording scene. Rick Parashar’s credits include multiplatinum releases for Temple of the Dog, Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, Blind Melon and Dinosaur Jr.
Rheaume said that Rajan Parashar was not part of any agreement between his brother and A&M.
Temple of the Dog recorded that one album and played only a single full concert set before its members went their own directions, although Cornell has joined Vedder and Pearl Jam several times to perform some Temple of the Dog songs.
According to the lawsuit, A&M “believed the artists to be in possession of the master recordings” until May 2013, when “a representative of the artists contacted A&M and informed A&M that [Rajan Parashar] and Rick Parashar” had them.
The lawsuit claims that Rick Parashar failed to respond to several requests by A&M’s attorneys at the Seattle law firm of K&L Gates to turn over the tapes. Rick Parashar died in August. Eventually, the lawsuit claims, Rick Parashar’s manager said the tapes were in the possession of Rajan Parashar.
The lawsuit demands he turn the tapes over immediately, and asks the court for damages and attorneys’ fees.
Telephone and email messages sent Friday to A&M’s attorneys were not returned.
Mike Carter
Post edited by demetrios on
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Comments
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Interesting
anyone know what the sourcing was for the MOV LP reissue?0 -
Are there other songs for a 25th anniversary reissue? Cause if not, I am cool with the purple vinyl reissue. Not buying again.Bridge Benefit 1994, San Francisco 1995, San Diego 1995 1 & 2, Missoula 1998, Los Angeles 2000, San Diego 2000, Eddie Vedder/Beck 2/26/2002, Santa Barbara 2003, Irvine 2003, San Diego 2003, Vancouver 2005, Gorge 2005, San Diego 2006, Los Angeles 2006 1 & 2, Santa Barbara 2006, Eddie Vedder 4/10/08, Eddie Vedder 4/12/08, Eddie Vedder 4/15/08, 7/12/2008, SF 8/28/09, LA 9/30/09, LA 10/1/09, LA 10/06/09, LA 10/07/09, San Diego 10/09/09, Eddie Vedder 7/6/2011, Eddie Vedder 7/8/2011, PJ20 9/3/2011, PJ20 9/4/2011, Vancouver 9/25/2011, San Diego 11/21/13, LA 11/24/13, Ohana 9/25/21, Ohana 9/26/21, Ohana 10/1/21, EV 2/17/22, LA Forum 5/6/22, LA Forum 5/7/22, EV 10/1/22, EV 9/30/230
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Did I read that correctly? He sold the masters for 35 grand to A&M AFTER the bands started to make it big?0
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+1Bridge Benefit 1994, San Francisco 1995, San Diego 1995 1 & 2, Missoula 1998, Los Angeles 2000, San Diego 2000, Eddie Vedder/Beck 2/26/2002, Santa Barbara 2003, Irvine 2003, San Diego 2003, Vancouver 2005, Gorge 2005, San Diego 2006, Los Angeles 2006 1 & 2, Santa Barbara 2006, Eddie Vedder 4/10/08, Eddie Vedder 4/12/08, Eddie Vedder 4/15/08, 7/12/2008, SF 8/28/09, LA 9/30/09, LA 10/1/09, LA 10/06/09, LA 10/07/09, San Diego 10/09/09, Eddie Vedder 7/6/2011, Eddie Vedder 7/8/2011, PJ20 9/3/2011, PJ20 9/4/2011, Vancouver 9/25/2011, San Diego 11/21/13, LA 11/24/13, Ohana 9/25/21, Ohana 9/26/21, Ohana 10/1/21, EV 2/17/22, LA Forum 5/6/22, LA Forum 5/7/22, EV 10/1/22, EV 9/30/230
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yeah that had me scratching my head, too.WhatYouTaughtMe said:Did I read that correctly? He sold the masters for 35 grand to A&M AFTER the bands started to make it big?
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If A&M paid Parashar the 35k and he accepted the money and failed to turn them over,then clearly they belong to the record label. If it was an offer that was denied by Parashar then they should legally still be in his possession.0
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I agree. The 35k number had me wondering why so low, especially in '93 when PJ was still climbing in popularity..."Not only do you have sunshine but you have better thunder...fuckers." -Ed, Phx 10/21/00
PJ * 10/21/00 - Phx * 6/7/03 - Phx * 6/29/06 - Milwaukee * 6/30/06 - Milwaukee * 11/19/13 - Phx *
EV * 11/4/12 - Phx, AZ *0 -
i emailed MOV and they responded very quickly with the answer...PJ_Soul said:
Good question.my2hands said:Interesting
anyone know what the sourcing was for the MOV LP reissue?
Hi John,
Thanks for your mail.
We received and used high res audio files (96 KHZ / 24 BIT) of the original master of Temple Of The Dog.
Attached is an article with Ton Vermeulen, owner of Record Industry and co-owner of Music On Vinyl, about analogue vs digital.
Best regards,
Mark
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You would think it would be a straight hand over deal. Trade check for tapes. If A&M can produce a cancelled check & contract then fine, not sure about verbal agreements though.AndySlash said:
yeah that had me scratching my head, too.WhatYouTaughtMe said:Did I read that correctly? He sold the masters for 35 grand to A&M AFTER the bands started to make it big?
The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.
- Christopher McCandless0 -
So we got a digital recording on vinyl.my2hands said:
i emailed MOV and they responded very quickly with the answer...PJ_Soul said:
Good question.my2hands said:Interesting
anyone know what the sourcing was for the MOV LP reissue?
Hi John,
Thanks for your mail.
We received and used high res audio files (96 KHZ / 24 BIT) of the original master of Temple Of The Dog.
Attached is an article with Ton Vermeulen, owner of Record Industry and co-owner of Music On Vinyl, about analogue vs digital.
Best regards,
Mark
What did the attached article say?With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata0 -
@chriscornell - It's sad when something you hold sacred becomes the object of a desperate money grab http://tinyurl.com/mt66bkg
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Wonder if Cornell is referring to Parashar or A&M? All the articles make Parashar's brother sound at fault. But if A&M is going for a reissue money grab, that'd be just as bad. Hmmmm. PJ and Cornell should have the masters. Hopefully it all works out in the end. One of the best and most powerful LPs in the last 25 years.0
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http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/chris-cornell-says-studio-owner-has-no-right-to-temple-of-the-dog-tapes/
Hand over the tapes. My guess is bonus tracks will include the Bridgeschool Benefit.
So hand over the tapes!!!!
Money grab or not, if the label owns the tapes, they should get the tapes.92 - Orlando
03 - Tampa
08 - Tampa
12 - DeLuna Fest, EV Orlando 1 & 2, EV Ft Lauderdale 1 & 2
13 - Wrigley!!! ,Brooklyn 1 & 2, Hartford, OKC, Seattle
14 - Leeds, Milton Keynes, St Louis
16 - Ft Lauderdale, Miami, Tampa, Jacksonville, Wrigley 1 & 20 -
I made my own reissue a few years ago. It had Black Cat, Angel of Fire, the demos from the PJ20 soundtrack and Island of Summer (Cornell and Wood duet from 1989).
Disc two was the 1990 off ramp show and 2011 Alpine Valley performance.
Who needs a reissue when you have rare tracks in your library?I've got a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell.
-Christopher Walken
you're=you are
your=showing ownership
The truth has a well known liberal bias.
-Stephen Colbert0 -
Why does Rick Parashar ever have control/custody of them in the first place?
What real value do these have, unless it's the only copy fit for remixing/remastering? Which is incredibly hard to imagine in this day and age.
I don't think $35k seems too low. I don't think the owner of the master tapes gets in on any cash flow, outside of a separate deal allowing them that.Post edited by DewieCox on0 -
Cornell should be the last person talking about a money grab with all of the crazy overpriced things they've released the last few years along with some shady practices selling those items (like listing things as limited and then removed that phrase and having them available in endless quantities).demetrios said:@chriscornell - It's sad when something you hold sacred becomes the object of a desperate money grab http://tinyurl.com/mt66bkg
But yeah it should be pretty easy to determine who legally owns these tapes so that they can get them to the right people. But it's not like I'd trust the label to not screw this guy over so let's let the court decide.0 -
@ London Bridge Studio
We recently learned about the lawsuit between previous London Bridge Studio owner Raj Parashar and A&M Records and wish to clarify we are in no way associated with the situation or with the former ownership of the studio.
As the current owners of London Bridge we pride ourselves upon tirelessly working to preserve the deep history rooted at London Bridge, while simultaneously updating and upgrading our world class facility to make this historic studio available to our diverse and talented community of artists and musicians for generations to come.
We are also enormous fans of The Temple of the Dog album recorded here, and we hope with all sincerity that both parties can reach an amicable and swift conclusion to this dispute.
Eric Lilavois, Jonathan Plum, and Geoff Ott0 -
Not sure how it works but it says 35 grand for the masters and all rights to them. I don't know a lot about the business side of it, but it sounds like a steal to me.DewieCox said:Why does Rick Parashar ever have control/custody of them in the first place?
What real value do these have, unless it's the only copy fit for remixing/remastering? Which is incredibly hard to imagine in this day and age.
I don't think $35k seems too low. I don't think the owner of the master tapes gets in on any cash flow, outside of a separate deal allowing them that.0 -
Raj may have received them from Rick's estate upon his recent passing and now A& M has reason to claim them.Bridge Benefit 1994, San Francisco 1995, San Diego 1995 1 & 2, Missoula 1998, Los Angeles 2000, San Diego 2000, Eddie Vedder/Beck 2/26/2002, Santa Barbara 2003, Irvine 2003, San Diego 2003, Vancouver 2005, Gorge 2005, San Diego 2006, Los Angeles 2006 1 & 2, Santa Barbara 2006, Eddie Vedder 4/10/08, Eddie Vedder 4/12/08, Eddie Vedder 4/15/08, 7/12/2008, SF 8/28/09, LA 9/30/09, LA 10/1/09, LA 10/06/09, LA 10/07/09, San Diego 10/09/09, Eddie Vedder 7/6/2011, Eddie Vedder 7/8/2011, PJ20 9/3/2011, PJ20 9/4/2011, Vancouver 9/25/2011, San Diego 11/21/13, LA 11/24/13, Ohana 9/25/21, Ohana 9/26/21, Ohana 10/1/21, EV 2/17/22, LA Forum 5/6/22, LA Forum 5/7/22, EV 10/1/22, EV 9/30/230
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