They Fought the Law

the long version

It's Perry Mason-meets-Billy Joel in this account of the most famous lawsuits in rock history. They Fought the Law traces the difficulties rockers have faced dealing with bad contracts, personnel problems, litigious fans, and crooked managers and accountants. While it's the music that counts, the music-makers are often robbed of their rightful share of the profits that the music creates - and may spend decades sorting out ill-considered contracts signed in the heat of their early careers. This book pulls back the veil on the often shady business practices that characterize the rock world - and shows how some courageous artists have fought the system and won. Based on firsthand accounts, interviews with the participants, and detailed study of court records and documents, Stan Soocher brings new light to the often tangled legal problems faced by rock artists. In doing so, he shows another - less-glamorous - side of the rock business.