Steve Perry Tells Court He's Settling Lawsuit Over Unreleased Songs

32nd Annual Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony - Show

Former Journey front man Steve Perry has asked a Los Angeles court to take the trial in his lawsuit against a former collaborator off its docket.

Perry sued last year to prevent the release of some demos he recorded in 1991 with musician Phil Brown. In the lawsuit, Perry claims that the songs were never meant for the public to hear and that Brown has no right to release them without his consent.

A trial in the case was set for June 25 in Los Angeles. Now Perry has told the court that he believes he can work out a deal with Brown. The singer says he plans to personally attend mediation later this month.

Last November, the judge in the case issued a temporary restraining order in Perry's favor. Brown insisted he did not need Perry's permission to release the music. He demanded the lawsuit be thrown out.

Brown is credited as a production assistant on Perry's 1994 solo album For the Love of Strange Medicine. He's also credited with playing bass on one song and with crafting the string arrangement for the song "I Am." The two also apparently worked together on at least two other songs at Brown's home studio at the time.

In 2002, Brown reportedly claimed to have copyright interest in the songs, called "Somebody Somewhere" and "Don't Push the River." Perry and his attorney disagreed at the time and Perry claimed solo ownership of the recordings.

Brown apparently left the issue alone until Perry released his comeback album, Traces, last October. Following Perry's new album, Brown again claimed to own the two unreleased songs and began promoting their impending release.

Perry's lawyers argued, among other things, that Brown mislead people into thinking Perry was in his band and that the singer was on board with the release of the near-30-year-old demos.

Photo: Getty Images


Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content