Manager amazed by Neudorf's demands

VANCOUVER (CP) - Singer Sarah McLachlan's manager said Monday he was flabbergasted by the demands of musician Darryl Neudorf during a 1992 meeting at Nettwerk headquarters.

"He asked me for songwriting credit" on McLachlan's debut album Touch, said Terry McBride, co-owner of Nettwerk Productions Ltd.

"This was completely flabbergasting to me," McBride said in B.C. Supreme Court. "I told him if you want songwriting credit you have to talk to Sarah. They're her songs. That's the person you have to talk to."

Neudorf, 34, a Vancouver producer and former drummer with the band 54-40, is suing Nettwerk Productions Ltd. for song-writing credit on four songs off Touch - Steaming, Vox, Sad Clown and Strange World.

He is also suing for copyright infringement and a share of royalties and co-production credit on McLachlan's 1988 debut album, which sold more than 625,000 copies.

McBride said he was astounded by the song-writing claims.

"I was more than willing to set up a meeting between Darryl and Sarah and if that (co-songwriting) happened they could resolve that," he said.

The issues arose from a meeting between Neudorf and McBride on Dec. 21, 1992, where Neudorf expressed dissatisfaction with royalty payments received.

Because of the ongoing legal dispute, Nettwerk has placed about $27,000 in producer royalties from Touch that are owed to Neudorf into a trust fund on legal advice, McBride testified.

There was also a dispute over producer royalty points being paid out to Neudorf, who wanted the same royalties as Touch producer Greg Reely, McBride said.

"We realized we had a written agreement with Greg Reely," he said. "We did not have a written agreement with Darryl or Darren (Phillips).

"He wanted to be treated the same as Greg," McBride said of the producer who received two royalty points from the album.

"When I had my meeting with Darryl he said we didn't have an agreement for one point royalty," McBride said. "So at that point I didn't know what to do.

"I presented him with a draft contract. I really wanted him to go away and get proper legal representation."

McBride, who was to be cross-examined Tuesday, is the last witness in the eight-week old trial that will conclude with closing arguments at yet to be determined dates.