London
(ANI):
A
long
running
court
battle
between
Pink
Floyd
and
record
label
EMI
could
lead
to
the
band"s
tracks
being
removed
from
digital
music
services
like
iTunes.
A
London
High
Court
judge
has
demanded
EMI
to
stop
selling
single
Pink
Floyd
tracks.
Pink
Floyd"s
record
deal
with
EMI
before
legal
downloads
existed
stated
that
individual
songs
would
not
be
sold
without
the
band's
permission.
The
band
has
argued
that
the
same
rule
should
be
applicable
to
digital
sales
as
well
as
CDs.
In
court,
Chancellor
Sir
Andrew
Morritt
agreed
with
the
band
and
pointed
out
that
the
contract
contained
a
clause
to
"preserve
the
artistic
integrity
of
the
albums".
He
briefed
the
contract
meant
that
EMI
were
"not
entitled
to
exploit
recording
by
online
distribution
or
by
any
other
means
other
than
the
original
album,
without
the
consent
of
Pink
Floyd".
However,
EMI
has
released
a
statement
after
the
hearing,
reports
the
BBC
News.
It
said:
"Today's
judgment
does
not
require
EMI
to
cease
making
Pink
Floyd's
catalogue
available
as
single
track
downloads,
and
EMI
continues
to
sell
Pink
Floyd's
music
digitally
and
in
other
formats.
This
litigation
has
been
running
for
well
over
a
year
and
most
of
its
points
have
already
been
settled.
This
week's
court
hearing
was
around
the
interpretation
of
two
contractual
points,
both
linked
to
the
digital
sale
of
Pink
Floyd's
music.
But
there
are
further
arguments
to
be
heard
on
this
and
the
case
will
go
on
for
some
time."
Meanwhile,
Robert
Howe
QC,
who
represented
the
band,
said
the
deal
with
EMI
was
supposed
to
keep
their
"seamless" albums
intact.
He
said
the
group
"wanted
to
retain
artistic
control".
But
Elizabeth
Jones
QC,
appearing
for
EMI,
disagreed,
claiming
the
"record"
in
the
band's
contract
"plainly
applies
to
the
physical
thing
-
there
is
nothing
to
suggest
it
applies
to
online
distribution".