January 22, 2000

Publication title: Canadian Press NewsWire, vol. -, Iss. -, pg. –
Place: Vancouver
Writer: Unknown

Case Darryl Neudorf
Orginal title: Darryl Neudorf is appealing the recent BC Supreme Court ruling rejecting his claim for further compensation for his work on Sarah McLachlan’s debut album

VANCOUVER (CP) – A Vancouver record producer is appealing the recent B.C. Supreme Court ruling rejecting his claim for further compensation for his work on Sarah McLachlan’s debut album.

Daryl Neudorf filed notice of appeal Jan. 11 in the B.C. Court of Appeal.

He originally sued the Vancouver superstar and her record label, Nettwerk, claiming he wasn’t properly compensated for his work on four songs on her 1988 debut album Touch.

Neudorf maintained he co-wrote the songs but never received proper credit or royalties.

Justice Bruce Cohen ruled last month that Neudorf contributed a vocal melody to the song Steaming and came up with the titles of Sad Clown and Vox.

But Neudorf “failed to satisfy the test for joint authorship,” Cohen ruled.

Neudorf, a former drummer with the rock band 54-40, was hired to do pre-production work in 1987-88 while McLachlan was developing songs for her debut album. It was the first time she had written complete songs by herself.

Neudorf was given a producer’s “point,” allowing him a share of royalties from sales of the album, which went on to sell more than 625,000 copies.

While writing songs for her first album, McLachlan was a 19-year-old waitress at a Vancouver coffee shop.
She had just signed a five-record deal with Nettwerk and had moved to Vancouver from her native Halifax.
Now a Grammy Award-winning superstar, McLachlan established the Lilith Fair concert tour featuring female performers.

Her record company estimated it spent $500,000 defending Neudorf’s legal action.
Court costs to be paid by Neudorf still have to be settled by the trial judge.
Neudorf said that after five years of pursuing the lawsuit, he is facing financial ruin.