Billboard Bits: Elton John, Korn, moe./Les

6/24/2002

News on Elton John, Korn, moe./Les

Elton John lost his case today (June 24) at London's Court of Appeal, which he had hoped would revive his multimillion-dollar negligence claim against his former accountants. John claimed that his manager, rather than himself, should pay the costs for tours -- which amounted to $10.5 million. He sought to revive a suit against PricewaterhouseCoopers for allegedly failing to advise him that he was paying touring costs.

Lord Justice Robert Walker, who joined one of the two other justices in ruling against the singer, said the case illustrated "a melancholy truth." "The fact that very large sums of money are to change hands under a commercial agreement, and further fact that it has been negotiated and prepared over a long period by well-remunerated professionals, provide no guarantee of competent drafting," Walker said.

He said the court had to make sense of the agreement as best it could and concluded that the 1986 contract with the management company John Reid Enterprises did not obligate it to bear the tour expenses. At a hearing last year, the High Court dismissed John's claim of negligence against Andrew Haydon, former managing director of John Reid Enterprises. John did not appeal that verdict, and he had previously reached a settlement of his action against Reid.

The performer admitted he enjoyed a "somewhat lavish lifestyle" and had spent $42 million on personal expenses -- including $410,000 on flowers -- over a 20-month period. A High Court judge described John as "clearly a man of an uncommonly generous disposition" and a man of great intelligence, but who had "little or no interest in business matters."

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Hard rock act Korn has postponed Canadian tour stops Wednesday (June 26) in Toronto and Thursday in Montreal. According to a statement, an unnamed member of the band "must return to Los Angeles on a personal matter." When contacted, a representative was unable to offer any other details regarding the itinerary change.

Toronto and Montreal area fans are urged to hold onto their tickets as they will be honored at rescheduled shows in the fall. The tour in support of the band's just released Immortal/Epic album "Untouchables" will touch down in New York tonight, then resume with Saturday's scheduled Pittsburgh show.

"Untouchables" debuted last week at No. 2 on The Billboard 200 after selling 434,000 copies in its first week. First single "Here to Stay" recently peaked No. 4 on Billboard's Modern and Mainstream Rock Tracks charts.

-- Barry A. Jeckell, N.Y.

The moe. or les festival, featuring jam band favorites moe. and Les Claypool's Flying Frog Brigade, has been moved from its slated location at Brandywine, Md.'s Wilmer's Park to a new location, Marvin's Mountaintop in Masontown, W.Va.

The festival will still run on the previously announced weekend of July 12-13 and feature performances from the likes of Lake Trout, Yonder Mountain String Band, Strangefolk, Jazz Mandolin Project, the Recipe, Project/Object featuring Ike Willis, All Mighty Senators, Small Appliance, and moe. singer/songwriter/guitarist Al Schnier's side project, al.one.

The relocation was prompted by a just-announced zoning restriction at Wilmer's Park which is also forcing two other scheduled festivals, the Camp Bisco III: Senor Boombox and Summer of Love ... 35 Years Later, to seek out alternate venues.

-- Troy Carpenter, N.Y.