Dutch music traders claim ownership of 'goldmine' Beatles studio tapes in long-running legal battle
Two Dutch Beatles fans are demanding hundreds of thousands pounds in damages over the “unlawful” seizing of behind-the-scenes tapes of the band.
Stan Snelleman and Jos Remmerswaal, who are music traders, allege that more than 500 audio tapes of recording sessions in 1969 – which formed the basis of the film and album Let it Be – were seized by British and Dutch police 12 years ago and taken back to London.
They are pursuing a civil case for damages of €650,000 (£459,000) plus €50,000 in costs from the Dutch state. The tapes were given back to Apple Films Ltd, owned by the Beatles and their heirs. Their case is expected in an appeal court in The Hague in January. Apple alleged that the tapes had been stolen.
Two British men, Nigel Oliver and Colin Dillon, were charged in July 2006 over the disappearance of the tapes. Dillon was given a suspended sentence for trying to sell them. Charges against Mr Snelleman – who said he bought the tapes in the Nineties – and Mr Remmerswal for handling stolen goods were dropped. They sued for the return of the tapes in 2013 and lost, but are appealing.
The tapes feature songs, covers and conversations between John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison, just before the band split. These so-called Get Back sessions – recorded on a Nagra tape recorder in addition to being filmed – revealed tensions between the “fab four”, seven years after they had released their first single.
By: Senay Boztas
Source: The Telegraph
