Richard Ashcroft plays the Albert Hall in Manchester (Photo: Gary Mather for Live4ever Media)
Richard Ashcroft was honoured with the Outstanding Contribution To British Music award at the 2019 Ivor Novello Awards yesterday and used the occasion to announce that one of its most famous songwriting disputes has finally been resolved.
“It gives me great pleasure to announce as of last month Mick Jagger and Keith Richards agreed to give me their share of the song Bitter Sweet Symphony,” he said.
“This remarkable and life affirming turn of events was made possible by a kind and magnanimous gesture from Mick and Keith, who have also agreed that they are happy for the writing credit to exclude their names and all their royalties derived from the song they will now pass to me.”
“I would like to thank the main players in this, my management Steve Kutner and John Kennedy, the Stones manager Joyce Smyth and Jody Klein (for actually taking the call) lastly a huge unreserved heartfelt thanks and respect to Mick and Keith.”
The dispute centred on the use of Andrew Loog Oldham’s orchestral version of The Rolling Stones’ single The Last Time, which The Verve believed they had been granted permission to use but which others in the opposing camp disagreed.