Busted court case imminent.

Original members to claim royalties

by Robert Ashton

Nearly 18 months after launching a multi-million pound royalties battle with his former band mates, original Busted member Ki Fitzgerald will get his day in court on April 19.

Fitzgerald issued writs against Matt Willis, James Bourne and the group's manager Richard Rashman at Prestige Management in December 2005, claiming he was kicked out of the group in 2001 after co- authoring four of its biggest hits, including What I Go To School For.

The singer and guitarist, who now fronts new band Eyes Wide Open, says he was subsequently pressurised into relinquishing songwriting credits. Fitzgerald was later joined in the action by Owen Doyle, who was also sacked from the group before frontman Charlie Simpson joined.

Fitzgerald and his legal team, which includes Entertainment Law Associates, are expecting to provide evidence that he - alongside Doyle - were founding members of Busted and, alongside What I Go To School For, also co-penned Year 3000, Sleeping With The Lights On and Psycho Girl.

In addition to the songwriting royalties, the pair are also alleging a series of other claims in the complex legal action. These include: breach of partnership; part ownership of the Busted trademark; a share of the huge merchandising sales that Busted racked up during their career; damages from not being represented properly; and being airbrushed from any official history of the band, including the group's book Busted Official.