Steve Jobs: We Might Have To Get A Judge To Decide Beatles/Apple Music Case

by , 11:00 AM EDT, September 18th, 2003

Steve Jobs is ready to take The Beatles all the way to court, according to an article in The Independent, a UK newspaper. It was revealed earlier this month that The Beatles' music label, Apple Corps, had sued Apple earlier this year over Apple's renewed entry to the music business. The lawsuit stems from earlier lawsuits and agreements between Apple Computer and Apple Corps on limitations on the computer maker from being able to compete in the music industry.

In comments that we believe came in a question and answer session with the press after the Apple Expo keynote in Paris on Tuesday, something that doesn't happen after the States-side shows, Steve Jobs told The Independent that any agreements in place with Apple Corps were made when he wasn't the boss, and that he interpreted them differently than The Beatles. Furthermore, he was happy to take it to court, if necessary. From the article:

Mr Jobs essentially dismissed the agreement's relevance yesterday, noting it was drawn up after he left the company in the mid-1980s, and before he returned to it in 1996.

"Apple Corporation and Apple [Computer] signed a legal agreement more than a decade ago. I wasn't there, and it says what each company can do with their trademark," he said. "I inherited that, and right now there's a disagreement about this. It's a trademark dispute... We might have to get a judge to decide on it."

There is more information in the full article at The Independent, including a note about Mr. Jobs playing a Johnny Cash cover of a Beatles song during the traditional music played before he ascended the stage for his keynote.

The Mac Observer Spin:

Coming from most executives (or attorneys), such a statement would usually be a PR move designed to let the opposing side know that you aren't afraid of them. Who knows if that was the case with Steve Jobs, but it's likely he was delivering a message of some sort, and it's certainly a tough stance.

Full Article From The Independent