ABKCO and 'Carnaby Street: The Musical' in dispute over Rolling Stones song

ABKCO, the company that controls the rights to Rolling Stones songs that were recorded in the 1960s, is in a dispute with "Carnaby Street: The Musical" (a London stage production) over the use of the 1967 Rolling Stones song "Let's Spend the Night Together," which was written by Rolling Stones lead singer Mick Jagger and guitarist Keith Richards.

According to an article published by The Independent on March 1, 2013, key members of "Carnaby Street: The Musical" team claim that ABKCO have them rights to use the song, while ABKCO denies it.

An unnamed source close to the Rolling Stones told The Independent: “Mick and Keith did not sanction the use of their music. They do not want to be associated with this musical. They believe they have the right to stop their song being used and are planning to take legal action to remove it from the soundtrack.”

"Carnaby Street: The Musical," which is about the London music scene in the 1960s, features music from that era. The musical is advertising that it will feature hits from the Kinks, the Who, the Animals, and Manfred Mann.

The Independent reports: "The show is the brainchild of veteran live music agent Carl Leighton-Pope, 67, who represents Bryan Adams and Michael Bublé. A former cloakroom attendant at the Marquee Club music venue in the mid-Sixties, he spent 10 years preparing the musical for the stage, basing the storyline on characters from his own experience ...

"Former 'EastEnders' actor Sid Owen will star in the show, which is due to open at the Hackney Empire in April before going on a nationwide tour. He plays a character called Jumpin' Jack, inspired by the 1968 Stones' song 'Jumping Jack Flash.' The producers then hope to open Carnaby Street in the West End and are planning to roll out the show across the world.

Bob Tomson, director of "Carnaby Street: The Musical," told The Independent: “It took a lot of schmoozing but we got an agreement to use a Stones' song to a stage musical for the first time. The artists want to know their songs are being used in an appropriate context."

However, ABKCO president Jody Klein denied this claim and told The Independent: “Discussions have taken place regarding the use of Abkco’s publishing properties in Carnaby Street: the Musical but, due to certain misrepresentations made by the show’s producers, negotiations have been terminated. It is ABKCO's assertion that the producers have exploited the circumstance to generate publicity for the show.”

Jody Klein is the son of the late Allen Klein, who was the Rolling Stones' manager in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Based on ABKCO's track record of dealing with legal disputes over Rolling Stones songs, it is very unlikely that "Carnaby Street: The Musical" will end up with the rights to use any Rolling Stones songs.