'Spinal Tap' creators settle lawsuit with Vivendi's UMG

[November 06, 2019]    (Reuters) - Harry Shearer, Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Rob Reiner, creators of mock rock music documentary "This is Spinal Tap", said they had resolved a dispute with Vivendi's Universal Music Group over the film's soundtrack recordings.

Under the agreement, which was announced on Tuesday, Spinal Tap's recordings will continue to be distributed through UMG and eventually the rights will be given to the creators.

A mediator had been working on resolving the dispute since November last year.

Vivendi has controlled Spinal Tap rights for nearly three decades.

The original complaint from the plaintiffs had stated that Vivendi had estimated the plaintiffs' share of Spinal Tap income at a mere $81 from merchandising between 1984 and 2016, plus $98 from music sales between 1989 and 2016.

"This Is Spinal Tap" is a pioneering example of the mock documentary, known for details including the deaths of drummers under bizarre circumstances and spectacular, over-the-top stage entrances that go wrong.

(Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta; Editing by David Goodman)

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