Wailer loses court claim

The bass guitarist from Bob Marley and The Wailers will be forced to sell his homes after losing a High Court claim today for £60 million in royalties.

Aston Barrett, 60, known as "Family Man", said he was "desperately short" of money to pay for his 52 children.

But Mr Justice Lewison today ruled in favour of Universal-Island and the Marley estate.

As a result Barrett says he must sell his two homes in Jamaica to pay his legal costs.

Barrett and his drummer brother Carlton are recognised as having invented the distinctive reggae beat of the Wailers.

Carlton was shot dead in 1985 but Barrett fought on for what he believed to be the rights of all the band members.

He claimed Marley had promised Wailers members equal shares of the royalties from hit albums including Babylon By Bus, Natty Dread and Rastaman Vibration.

But Universal-Island Records claimed Barrett surrendered his rights to further royalties in a 1994 settlement worth several hundred thousand dollars.

Marley died aged 36 in 1981 without making a will. His widow Rita, along with seven of her late husband's 11 children, benefit from the strong worldwide sales of the Wailers' hits.