John Branca?

onlyme63

Maybe my medication kicked in at the wrong time, or I just saw that one of the hobby's big hitters is involved in the Michael Jackson fiascal. Anyone else see that? I did not hear how he is involved, but it sure looked like him on TV. My wife almost fell off the sofa, when I yelled 'I know that guy!'... Anyway, more power to John, if my eyes did not deceive me...

calleocho

his relationship to jacko has been talked about before on the forums ...his area of expertise is music rights and such.

i think i read once that he also has an amazing music collection

spacktrack

I believe he is an intellectual properties lawyer and has been a personal attorney to Jackson for some time. I believe someone posted a link to an acceptance speech given by Jackson in which he thanked Branca.

qualitycards

I thought that he was no longer affiliated w/ M Jax?...jay

Vargha

He was Jackson's attorney when I was at his office a year and a half ago. I don't know if he is now or not. He is one of the premier (if not the premier) intellectual property attorneys in the US. He has a Century City law office and one helluva card collection.

PlayBall

Link to article from previous thread. Read down a few paragraphs to find Branca's name.

mikeschmidt

Mike Jackson played for the Phillies -- though I thought Branca primarily avoided most modern cards....

Basilone

He was also a wide receiver for the Browns/Ravens in the 90s

wolfbear

Wouldn't want to offend any "major" collectors but,
how can anyone who considers himself a man defend that piece of human excrement
known as Michael Jackson with a clear conscience ?

Ah yes, the MONEY ... since none of YOUR sons is one of his 'punks',
you can take Michael's 'dirty money' and look the other way, and collect the big bucks.

Didn't your Mom and Dad ever teach you right from wrong ?

Glynparson

That was him i remember having a "discussion" with him at the 2000 national in anaheim about how wrong i thought it was for michael jackson to sell revolution "the beatles song" to nike for use in their advertisments. his response was Yoko said it was ok this did not make me feel any better being the huge beatles fan that i am.

Kid4hof03

Without defense for everyone our justice system doesn't work and we are a military state. If you or someone you love ever finds themselves in need of defense I'm sure your opinion would change. There are enough wrongfully accused people in our prison systems now.

My point is not whether Jackson is guilty or not and I'm sure that is not where this thread wants to go but to be thankful that we are in a country in which everyone gets a defense whether the masses think they deserve one or not. Just my two cents.

shouldabeena10

Kid4

No soup for you !!

Vargha

Branca is not a defense attorney.

Glynparson -- I always find it funny that fans are more concerned about being true to being an "artist" more than the multi-millionaire performers are.

Kid4hof03

shouldabeen

I don't like soup or Nazi's.

DaBigHurt

<< <i>Wouldn't want to offend any "major" collectors but,
how can anyone who considers himself a man defend that piece of human excrement
known as Michael Jackson with a clear conscience ?

Ah yes, the MONEY ... since none of YOUR sons is one of his 'punks',
you can take Michael's 'dirty money' and look the other way, and collect the big bucks.

Didn't your Mom and Dad ever teach you right from wrong ? >>



Ignorant much?

NickM

John Branca is not Michael Jackson's defense attorney. Branca represents Michael Jackson in transactions regarding music rights (e.g., copyright licensing, profit participation in music releases).

Mark Geragos is Michael Jackson's lead defense attorney.

Nick

Vargha

Geragos, however, is scum to the bone marrow.

wolfbear

"Ignorant much ?"

Yes, quite !,

but not so much so that I don't know the difference between a civil and a defense attorney.
My point was that I'd have a hard time trying to look in the mirror to shave, knowing MJ was paying my bills.

Of course, according to our Bill of Rights, Amendment VI, the accused is entitled to assistance of counsel,
but if you take a look at Amendment I, it seems to imply something about freedom of speech ...

Glynparson

HEY VARGHA LISTEN TO WHAT THAT SONG IS ABOUT THEN TELL ME IT SHOULD BE USED BY ONE OF THE MOST SUBJUGATIVE LABORERS OUT THERE> PLUS HE WAS PROFITING THE ARTISTS WHO MADE THE RECORDING WERE NOT !

Glynparson

I meant employers dont ask me why i typed laborers .

Glynparson

You may want to learn more about Mr. Jackson and how he underhandidly acquired the rights to the beatles music and how he has whored out some of the material before making your ludicrous statements.

Basilone

A video from CBS News that shows Branca at the table with other members of Jackson's "Inner Circle"

can be seen Here - Jackson Summit Video

Mantlefan

Geragos, however, is scum to the bone marrow

Vargha, you're being too nice to this guy. Besides, the best card in his collection is a PSA 3!

Vargha

HEY VARGHA LISTEN TO WHAT THAT SONG IS ABOUT THEN TELL ME IT SHOULD BE USED BY ONE OF THE MOST SUBJUGATIVE LABORERS OUT THERE> PLUS HE WAS PROFITING THE ARTISTS WHO MADE THE RECORDING WERE NOT !

You may want to learn more about Mr. Jackson and how he underhandidly acquired the rights to the beatles music and how he has whored out some of the material before making your ludicrous statements.

You obviously have mistaken me for a Marxist. I couldn't give a rat's ass about either situation. As to "underhandedness", did he pay money? Was there any threat of violence? Nope, I didn't think so. BTW -- nice use of the "caps lock" function!

Cubfan

I dont know why Im getting into this, but McCartney (and the other Beatles) were simply asleep at the wheel when the Beatles song rights were sold.

McCartney had been into purchasing the right to other artist's materials long before Jackson had that thought. He had purchased a ton of items (including the entire Buddy Holley collection...does that mean he's raping the Holley family) and, at one time, was almost making as much money from that as he was from his own material.

He knew that part of the business inside and out. He just missed the opportunity. Actually, most artists (especially those pre-1975 artists) do not own the rights to their own material. Even Brian Wilson's father sold all the rights to the Beach Boys songs in the early 1970's.

Now, I am not in any way, shape, or form, defending Jackson for his alleged breaking of the law or for his total weirdness. And I am probably one of the stronger "first-hand" Beatle fans on this board. But the purchase of the rights to the Beatles songs was strictly a business dealing. And if John Branca had any part in that, then I am more impressed by him than I was before. AND he has a nice collection to boot.


edited for spelling correction

dstudeba

Cubfan -

Thanks I wanted to post that, but didn't have as many facts. No need to get emotional about this stuff, it is business plain and simple.

Wolfbear -

The difference is between a civil and criminal attorney. The opposition for a defense attorney is a prosecutor.

Lets remember Jackson is the guy who did or did not fondle the boy; not the attorney. It is required that everyone in this country who goes to trial have an attorney to defend their rights and make the system work. Personally I don't know if Garagos is a vile human being or not.

goodriddance189

McCartney gave Jackson some advice saying he should look in to buying music rights, as it could be a wise investment. im sure McCartney didnt know MJ would end up buying the Beatles stuff, but regardless the Beatles catalog was auctioned publicly, so McCartney had every chance to reacquire them.

dont go blaming MJ for "whoring" out Beatles songs to mass marketing advertisers. if you wanna get mad at someone, get mad at record companies for taking away artists' rights to their own songs. for the most part, record companies own publishing rights to a given artist's music, not the artist himself

Glynparson

First off there is no e in BUDDY HOLLY ( unless you count his group the Crickets) secondly he was DEAD long berfore McCartney ever purchased his catalog third he did not take a song of Mr.Hollys that was an indictment on commercalism etc. and allow Nike a company that borders on using slave labor to exploit the song for the benefit of a sneaker contract. Fourth he only knew of the sale thanks to Paul who was supposed to be his friend and he stabbed him in the back obviously money means more to many of you then friendship and decency.

murcerfan

John Branca is a nice guy from my experience and has helped me locate cards.
That is more than I can say for the majority of this hobby.
Does anyone here expect him to commmit professional suicide by bailing out on his biggest client because of some allegations that have nothing to do with Jacko's business deals?

FB

And hey...

If MJ IS actually guilty of what he's being accused of - then he should rot in ALONG WITH THE PARENTS of these kids who were allowed to stay over without supervision after all of the rumors that have been around for the last 15 years.

If you're a parent - you do whatever needs to be done to keep them safe. If you let them sleep at Neverland unsupervised - then you had to have PAYDAY in the back of your mind...

And as for Branca representing MJ's intellectual property - who knows what he's thinking or whether he'll have any decisions to make depending on the outcome of a trial. Besides - I've heard rumor that the Beatles catalog is so heavily mortgaged at this point that it doesn't have a lot of value left.

qualitycards

<< <i>First off there is no e in BUDDY HOLLY >>


Actually there is. His real name was Holley and was shortened by the music exec's, so his family members who profit from the music rights are named Holley...jay

Glynparson

I never meant to give an impression that i dont think Mr. Branca is a nice guy he said most beatles fans felt like i did does not mean he agreed with me but at least understood where i was coming from. We had a nice discussion about cards then and i really enjoyed my talk with him you can disagree with someone and still end up liking them. In fact i think he ended up buying a 1952 Klutz in an 8 from me i dont know if it was for him or a friend but he was extremelly easy to deal with i did not mean to give an impression that he was a bad person though i still think Mr. Jackson was wrong to do what he did, in retrospect Mr. Branca did nothing wrong he was just looking out for his clients best interest wich is his job though i tend to not put enough into my job i often let my principles get in the way i guess we are all just wired a little diferrently.

Cubfan

Thanks for the clarification Jay. I was afraid that I was going to have to tell the family to change the spelling on the gravestone.

Holley Site

Seriously though Glyn, I didnt like the idea of Beatles songs being in commercials either whether it be Revolution, Getting Better or whatever. But thats the way it is.

And actually, I read that John Lennon wrote the song about Vietnam, not commercialism.

Whatever. John Branca has a great collection and my respect.

Glynparson

According to his website buddy holly dropped the e from his name so when referring to his work as an artist i would refer to him as holly you dont hear people refer to bob dylan as robert zimmerman or ringo starr as richard starkey very often do you. revoloution is a song about many things including his contempt for vietnam as well as overcommercilization it was meant to be a counter culture anthem i have read well over 50 books on the beatles and am very sure of this point.

Vargha

Lennon was a hypocrite. He amassed an empire worth over $100 million at the time of his (early) death yet was content to be a classic liberal by merely talking the talk rather than walking it with his wallet. I have little room in my life for people who amass large fortunes and then try to spread their guilt trips around because they know they are overpaid.

At least Ringo made no bones about the fact that it was about chicks, booze, drugs and money.