Richard Ashcroft speaks out after 'Bittersweet Symphony' dispute comes to an end

Richard Ashcroft has released a statement addressing in more detail the history of The Verve’s “Bittersweet Symphony”, following the announcement that Mick Jagger and Keith Richards had granted him full songwriter royalties and rights after nearly 22 years.

The rights and royalties to song, which samples a Rolling Stones composition, had been assigned to Jagger and Richards in a legal dispute upon the song’s release in 1997.

At the time, it sparked a debate over the complicated legal issues involving rights and royalties for the song, which went onto become a global hit and is the best-known song by The Verve.

“For whatever reason” the rights to the sample were not fully cleared, and after a legal battle with publisher Abkco, Ashcroft signed away his rights and royalties to the song.

More than two decades later, Ashcroft revealed that Jagger and Richards had handed over their publishing rights and all future royalties back to him.

Appearing at the Ivors earlier this week, the singer said: “We’ve been working over the last few months, years, 20 years. As of last month Mick Jagger and Keith Richards signed over all their publishing for ‘Bitter Sweet Symphony’. which is a truly kind and magnanimous thing to do, they didn’t need to do it.

“As of last month, thank you so much Keith Richards and Mick Jagger, for acknowledging me as the writer of a f****** masterpiece – it’ll live forever. Music is power, forever.”

Jagger and Richards have also removed their names from the song credits.

Ashcroft has since released a full statement that addresses the background of the dispute, via Variety.

“Over 20 years ago Richard Ashcroft wrote one of his most important songs, “Bitter Sweet Symphony,” but near the end of the creative process a four-second sample of an Andrew Loog Oldham orchestral recording of The Last Time was sampled and used as a loop in the backing track.

“Permission for the use of the recording was obtained but for whatever reason at the time permission for the use of the song was overlooked.

“By the time the mistake was realised a huge number of copies of the “Urban Hymns” album had been manufactured around the world and the record company were reluctant to scrap them.

“They were confident they would be able to do a deal with the publishers and convinced Richard to allow the release of the album as it stood.

“However Mr Allen Klein, the owner of ABKCO, was very protective of his copyright and the only deal that he was prepared to do involved Richard effectively signing away all of his rights in one of his most iconic songs, including the total lyrical content.

“Of course, there was a huge financial cost but any songwriter will know that there is a huge emotional price greater than the money in having to surrender the composition of one of your own songs.

“Richard has endured that loss for many years."

“A few months ago, his management decided to pursue a strategy which any number of people had been told over the years was a futile course of action with zero chance of success.

“They decided to appeal to Mick Jagger and Keith Richards directly to try regain the song for Richard to the extent it was within their power to do so.

“Mick and Keith immediately, unhesitatingly and unconditionally agreed to this request. Incredibly generously and as an indication of what great artists and men they are they have agreed that to the extent it is within their power they have given Richard his song back.

“In the future all royalties that would have gone to them for “Bitter Sweet Symphony” will now go to Richard, but in many ways even more importantly they have said that they no longer require a writing credit for “Bitter Sweet Symphony,” kindly acknowledging that as far as they are concerned it is Richard’s song.

“Last year, the Rolling Stones invited Richard Ashcroft to support them at their huge outdoor shows in Manchester and Edinburgh, making him the only artist to join them at more than one show during their 2018 European tour.”