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Village People cop sues for bigger royalty slice

By | Published on Tuesday 3 May 2011

Victor Willis

Former Village People frontman Victor Willis – usually dressed as a police officer during his relatively short time with the group – is suing for a bigger slice of the royalties from the pop combo’s catalogue.

Willis was recruited to front Village People by the producer behind the venture, Jacques Morali, in 1978, the rest of the group only coming on board once the album Morali and Willis had created topped the chart. Willis says he penned the lyrics to some of the group’s biggest hits, including ‘YMCA’, ‘Macho Man’ and ‘In The Navy’, and that he should therefore be due a bigger cut of the revenue those songs continue to generate.

It’s not clear what royalties Willis is currently receiving, if any, though the company which now controls the Village People catalogue, Can’t Stop Productions, insists Willis’ claim is “without merit”.



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