John Branca

  John Branca shares with students at Harvard, some different ways he was able to connect with his clients. John Branca Brian Price: What aspect of, you had mentioned being a musician yourself, being a music lover yourself. What aspect of your work brought you closer to your artist? And being able to see the world through their artistic eyes. Tell us how that appreciation so, endeared you more so to your clients than maybe less? John Branca : Well, it was a l ways; I represented different kinds of artists with a country artist named Dwight Yoakum, and the first time he came in to meet me. I said to him, a couple of your songs now remind me of Buck Owens, and they’re very; he lit up because he later did a duet with Buck Owens called streets Bakersfield. And so, the ability to know music and connect with them on an entirely non-legal level was really important. I think one of the joys that I had in life with Michael Jackson is when thriller came out, we started buying songs. And I bo...

  John Branca gives some insight into his experience buying and selling music copyrights John Branca : So, we started out, and one day, I found out that the Beatles catalog was called ATV music, had Little Richard, The Beatles. So, I called up Michael and I said, “You know, ATV’s for sale.” “What's that?” I said, “The Beatles.: So, he went crazy. And it took us a year to get that catalog, took a lot of strategic planning, because the man who was selling it never kept his word. So, we finally had to, you know, pull a couple dirty tricks out of our hat to get the deal done. But, good example of things that come up. We owned these 2 songs called Runaround Sue and The Wanderer by Dion and the Belmonts. And under the old Copyright Act, you had to renew after 28 years. And if you didn't renew, you lost the copyright. So, I got a call from the chairman of the Warner Publishing Company saying, “You know, we screwed up.” “What do you mean?” “We forgot to renew one of Michael's co...

  John Branca  discussing his personal brand and the importance it has played in his career. John Branca : I’m a big believer in branding, no matter what you do as an attorney or otherwise. So over the years, I tried to cultivate a certain brand or image. So that before an artist might come in the room to interview me, they already thought they knew what I was about or certainly what I stood for. And part of my brand, I ha v e sort of two main competitors one in Atlanta and one in New York. Who, my friend in New York, always felt if I represent the record company, I’m going to get the artist. I was the opposite. Like growing up in the 60s, getting kicked out of school. I always had a chip on my shoulder when it came to big organizations, and the government and I view the record company in that light. So my whole thing is I’m going to represent the artists, never going to represent the record company. Never going to have to wake up in the morning and decide whose side am I on t...

  John Branca John Branca  (born December 11, 1950 in Bronxville, New York), is an entertainment lawyer and manager who specializes in representing rock and roll acts, as well as independent investors, music publishing catalogs, and independent music labels. He has represented over 30 acts in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, including The Rolling Stones,  Michael Jackson , The Jackson 5,  Carlos Santana , Aerosmith, The Beach Boys, ZZ Top, Fleetwood Mac, Bee Gees, Earth, Wind And Fire, John Fogerty and The Doors, which is believed to be more than any other entertainment attorney. Other cli e nts have included  Alicia Keys ,  Berry Gordy ,  Martin Lawrence ,  Dick Clark ,  Dr. Dre ,  Justin Timberlake  and the Backstreet Boys. Among his clients outside the music world: Forbes magazine, Penthouse magazine, Playboy magazine, investor  Ron Perelman , MCI and  Mike Tyson . In recent years  John Branca  has been involve...

  Attorney John Branca  discussing a story he told, while speaking at UCLA law, about learning what it was going to be like being a music lawyer. John Branca : There’s a story that I told, I spoke at UCLA law recently, I…   it was my first lesson on what it was going to be like to be a music lawyer. I think I was 26 or 27 and  The Beach Boys  were my first client. We had this big board meeting. And the brother of the lead singer was the manager of the group, Steve Love, and Michael was the lead singer. So, Mike Love and Alan Jardine wanted to renew this management contract. And Carl Wilson and Dennis Wilson wanted to fire of Steve Love. And it came down to a board of directors meeting with the Beach Boys, and Brian Wilson was laying there apparently asleep the whole time with his head on the table, and he was the deciding vote. So, as a general counsel, I said, “Brian, if you want to keep Steve, knock once. If you want to fire him, knock twice,” and he not three...

  John Branca talks about how things have changed in the music industry.   “The Artists have much more power now”  Mr. Branca gives more insight on how the power has shifted to the artist, with shorter contracts and more freedoms. John Branca : Things have changed now. The artists have much more power, just same is true in sports. And contracts are shorter. Back then, an artists couldn't do a duet with another artist without the permission in writing from the record company. It was kind of like going to the principal, you know, “Can I please do a duet?” you know? Now, you know, it's commonplace. A lot of things have changed.

  John Branca  discusses Michael Jackson and using lawsuits to have the opportunity to get to the facts. It’s more about a sense of fairness. Brian Price: So, apart from the personal relationship aspect of it, in terms of being a lawyer and a counselor, tell us what your role is in… in the Neverland documentary, why it’s important to you as an executive of the estate or as a trustee of the business. Tell us about why that’s important to you, John. John Branca : Well,   of course, there’s a financial motivation, of course, you know? But as importantly (and maybe more importantly), I have a sense of fairness. I have a sense of, you know, from my point of view, if somebody made a documentary and they talk to other people who spent years with Michael, if they talk to Tom Mesereau, if they talk to the jurors in the trial when Michael was acquitted, if they talk to Macaulay Culkin and Brett, they talk to everybody, they put that up on the screen, I’m okay. I’m okay. Let everybo...