George Clinton is known as one of the most innovative funk musicians of all time. During the 70’s, he defined African American music while many of today’s iconic rappers and hip-hop artists were still in diapers. Perhaps that is how Clinton became one of the most sampled musicians of all time and his name the prophetic embodiment of the last twenty years of American politics.
Or maybe he was just a really good musician. I tend to think it’s the latter myself.
Anyways, one thing Clinton wasn’t good at was reading legally binding documents. After a legendary run in the 70’s with the bands Parliament and Funkadelic, Clinton had to go solo as a result of complicated copyright and trademark issues associated with the band names.
To this day he struggles with old business partners and managers, who he claims, forged his signature to sign away all of the rights to his back catalogue. Given that the music industry has a well developed a reputation of exploiting musicians, it’s hard fault Clinton for these problems, as it appears as if he was indeed victimized.
In 1984, however, when all of the mismanagement of his career forced Clinton to file bankruptcy, he made a mistake that dwarfed all others. He failed to disclose every song between 1976 and 1983 as a possible source of income.
The result was catastrophic … an estimated loss of $100 million in royalties. Blame for this lack of foresight can fall on both Clinton and his attorney; it is always important to maintain open communication between client and attorney. Frankly, whomever his bankruptcy attorney was at the time should probably be disbarred.
You know, during these incredibly difficult times, more and more people find themselves behind the financial eight ball. If you or someone you love lives in WA State and is struggling to meet their monthly obligations, it might be time to consider seeking protection under federal and Washington bankruptcy laws.
Despite what you may have heard, the new 2005 bankruptcy laws have actually done very little to prevent most people from still qualifying for bankruptcy relief. If you have questions about your legal rights and bankruptcy options, you owe it to yourself to consult with a good Washington bankruptcy lawyer.