Collins launches court action

Rahmee Davis and Louis Satterfield arrive at court

Oscar-winning pop star Phil Collins has launched legal action against two former members of his backing band, claiming he overpaid them £500,000 in royalties.

The British singer-songwriter is taking action against Louis Satterfield and Rahmlee Davis - who were formerly in the band Earth, Wind and Fire - who flew to London from the US to contest the case at the High Court on Wednesday.

Collins, 49, insists he overpaid the horn players, who formed part of his backing band in the 80s and 90s.

Earth, Wind and Fire in their heyday

Davis, 51, and Satterfield, 61, founder members of the Phoenix Horns, helped Collins produce huge-selling albums like Face Value and But Seriously.

The pair claim they signed a contract entitling them to 0.5% of the royalties from the whole of a live album recorded during the former Genesis star's 1990 tour.

But in court, Robert Howe, representing Phil Collins Ltd, told Mr Justice Jonathan Parker the duo were paid royalties on all 15 tracks because of an accounting error.

In fact, he said, the contract they signed only gave them royalties to the five tracks to which they contributed.

'No repayment sought'

Mr Howe said no order was being sought for repayment of the money because the royalties were stopped three years ago, and most of the money had been recovered.

But he said the company wanted a declaration that it did not have to pay any further royalties.

What was at stake, he said, was the remaining sum Collins's company claimed the pair owed them, which was around $20,000 (£12,500) each.

Phil Collins won an Oscar earlier this week

The judge said the company was saying it made an accountancy mistake for six years, and was stopping royalty payments until it had recouped the amount.

Before the hearing, Satterfield and Davis said they had already suffered badly since royalty payments were stopped.

The Society of Black Lawyers issued a statement saying that if Phil Collins was successful "these talented African-American artists will be reduced to destitution, with no prospect of seeing any benefit from their labour during Collins' 'formative years'".

The hearing was adjourned until Thursday, when Davis and Satterfield are expected to give evidence.

Phil Collins - who won an Oscar on Sunday for his work on the Tarzan soundtrack - will not give evidence at the hearing, which is expected to last five days.