Howard Weitzman, a lawyer for the estate, said in a statement that the real artist was Jackson, not Mr. Jones. “Any amount above and beyond what is called for in his contracts is too much and unfair to Michael’s heirs,” Mr. Weitzman said.
On a series of albums starting in the late 1970s, Jackson and Mr. Jones had one of the most fruitful relationships in pop music history. With Mr. Jones as producer, the two worked together on albums like “Off the Wall” and “Thriller” that sold tens of millions of copies and catapulted Jackson — already famous from his days in the Jackson 5 — into superstardom.
Mr. Jones’s suit hinged on the fine details of two contracts that he signed with Jackson, including exactly what was covered under terms like “record” and “videoshow.”
After Jackson’s death in 2009, his music became immensely popular again, and the estate pointed out that Mr. Jones had earned $8 million in the two years after Jackson’s death.
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“You don’t deserve a raise,” Mr. Weitzman said during closing arguments this week. “You can’t have any more of Michael Jackson’s money.”
In a two-week trial in Los Angeles Superior Court, some of the most heated moments came when Mr. Jones and lawyers for the estate clashed over how great a role in Jackson’s success Mr. Jones could claim as the producer. The estate stressed Jackson’s own contributions to the material.
Mr. Jones said that the producer’s role was crucial and that he had sifted through 800 songs to find the material that ended up on “Thriller,” which included seven Top 10 hits.
“A great song,” Mr. Jones testified, “can make the worst artist in the world a star.”
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Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/26/business/media/quincy-jones-wins-suit-against-michael-jacksons-estate.html?partner=rss&emc=rss
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