Don Henley has resumed testifying in a trial over the ownership of handwritten drafts of lyrics to Eagles hits, including "Hotel California." The trial involves three men charged with concealing and selling the disputed pages, which were not stolen but were bought and sold without Henley's permission. Henley testified that he believed his property was stolen and that the drafts were very personal and private. The trial also involves a 1980 phone call recording in which Henley discussed providing access to the drafts for a book but clarified that it was not a gift.
In a criminal trial involving the theft and sale of handwritten Eagles lyrics, a decades-old taped call revealed the band's manager, Irving Azoff, expressing frustration over a stalled biography due to a "pampered rock star," likely referring to Don Henley. The biographer, Ed Sanders, sold the lyrics to one of the defendants, who are charged with conspiring to sell them. The trial has shed light on the band's dynamics and the dealings of their longtime manager, while defense lawyers argue that the writer was the rightful owner of the lyrics.
Freddie Mercury's handwritten lyrics for Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" reveal that the song was almost titled "Mongolian Rhapsody." The lyrics, written on airline stationery, are among 1,500 personal items belonging to the Queen singer that will be auctioned by Sotheby's. The auction is expected to fetch between £800,000 to £1.2 million, and a portion of the sale's income will go to the Mercury Phoenix Trust and the Elton John AIDS Foundation.
Handwritten lyrics of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" suggest that Freddie Mercury considered naming the song "Mongolian Rhapsody." The 15-page folio of lyrics, vocal lines, and harmonies were written by the singer in 1975 and include alternate lines and reworked ideas. The manuscript is among approximately 1,500 of the singer’s personal belongings heading to auction at Sotheby’s in London, expected to fetch between £800,000 and £1.2 million ($995,000 to $1.5 million) when it goes under the hammer in September.
Freddie Mercury's collection of costumes, fine art, and handwritten lyrics for "We Are the Champions" and "Killer Queen" will be auctioned in September. The collection includes prints or works on paper by Picasso and Matisse, and a painting by James Tissot estimated to sell for $500,000-750,000. Lyrics for "We are the Champions" are estimated to fetch $250,000-375,000. The auction will feature roughly 1,500 items and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to charity.
