The second version of Songs Of Protest And Anti-Protest, written and performed by Bobby Jameson in 1965, was released illegally without agreements or contracts of any kind. Mira/Surrey intentionally avoided doing what was legally required to ensure it's own claim on the rights to the master before releasing it. The original Chris Ducey version had been stopped on legal grounds, because Ducey's rights were protected by the fact that he had been represented legally in the matter by a third party. Bobby Jameson's rights were not protected by anyone, and no one was allowed to intervene in his behalf, even though he requested the aid of legal counsel by a third party at the time.
Mira/Surrey simply made a business decision in 1965 to go ahead and release the Jameson version so their expansion into Europe could be completed on Mira/Surrey's schedule. They were not willing to postpone the Jameson version of Songs Of Protest for fear that a second delay, and another legal problem, might well scuttle Mira/Surrey's future. Had Jameson been afforded the same luxury as Ducey had been before him, the legal questions surrounding the Jameson version would have prevented the album's release until the legal matters were sorted out.
Prior to the release of the Jameson version, Mira/Surrey attempted to force Jameson to sign a contract against his will, a contract Jameson had never seen nor been made aware of until it was shown to him for the first time by Randy Wood and Abe Somer, Wood's attorney. Jameson refused to sign the agreement on the grounds that he didn't know what the contract actually said. Jameson told Wood that he wanted outside help to understand the contract before he would sign it, but was rebuked by Wood for even suggesting that the contract was not fair. Jameson said that the contract may well be a good one but that he was unwilling to sign it then and there until he had the opportunity to understand it's contents more fully. Wood became enraged over Jameson's refusal to sign the document and physically threw Jameson against the office wall in the presence of Abe Somer. Following this altercation between Wood and Jameson, Mira/Surrey chose to release the album anyway with nothing being done to insure the legal rights of Jameson.
The Jameson penned songs, as well as Jameson's performance as Chris Lucey, were the legal property of Bobby Jameson because he had not agreed to give up his rights to them. But in an illegal and callous move, Mira/Surrey secretly registered Jameson's songs to Mirwood Music, a Wood/Chiapetta company, without Jameson's knowledge or permission, claiming later that it (Mirwood Music) owned the publishing rights to the songs. Jameson's performance as Chris Lucey was likewise claimed as the legal property of Mira/Surrey, but was done without Jameson's signature, knowledge, or permission. This was done for the purpose of facilitating Mira/Surrey's self-interests, in spite of having refused to comply with Jameson's request for legal representation in the contract dispute.
Mira/Surrey, and Mirwood Music, by way of manipulation and criminal acts in 1965, and later, claimed ownership and control over the Bobby Jameson version of Songs Of Protest And Anti-Protest for the purpose of it's own profit and gain. With malice, intent, and criminal disregard for the rights of Bobby Jameson, Randy Wood, Betty Chiapetta, and Abe Somer, deliberately and intentionally conspired and carried out the theft and use of the property of Bobby Jameson.
These facts, were, and continue to be, the premise on which Mira/Surrey and Mirwoodwood Music, and it's successors, owners, and partners, deliberately caused harm to one Robert Parker Jameson, aka Bobby Jameson, aka Chris Lucey, by preventing him from enjoying any benefits or rights from his own work on the album Songs Of Protest And Anti-Protest, which he created in good faith in 1965. The subsequent sale of the master of Jameson's version of the album to Ace Records UK in the ensuing years, and continuing collection of publishing revenue from the Jameson songs, once again intentionally harms Bobby Jameson. The refusal of Ace Records UK, and it's lease partners Rev-Ola and Cherry Red Records UK, to acknowledge and curtail the illegal purchase, manufacturing, and sale of Songs Of Protest, makes evident their callous disregard of the facts. For the purpose of their own profit and personal gain, Ace Records, Rev-Ola Records, and Cherry Red Records deliberately joined with Betty Chiapetta in the ongoing conspiracy to violate the rights of Robert Parker Jameson, aka Bobby Jameson, aka Chris Lucey, and cause him further harm.
