Ex-pupils seeking royalties from Pink Floyd classic

Published on 27/11/2004 01:07

A GROUP of former London schoolchildren who sang on Pink Floyd’s 1979 classic Another Brick In The Wall have lodged a claim for unpaid royalties.

Twenty-three teenagers from Islington Green School secretly recorded vocals for the track, which became an anthem for children with the chorus: "We don’t need no education." On hearing the song, the headmistress banned them from appearing on television or video - leaving them no evidence and making it harder for them to claim royalties - and the local school authority described the lyrics as "scandalous".

The album sold more than 12 million copies and the single became number one in Britain and the United States.

Royalties expert Peter Rowan said he was appealing to a music royalties society on behalf of one former pupil and was working with other members of the class. He said he was still trying to contact the majority of the group.

"They are owed their money and we lodged the first claim last week," Mr Rowan said. "I’ve been working on it for almost two years."

Music teacher Alun Renshaw took the schoolchildren to a nearby recording studio without the permission of the headmistress after being approached by the band’s management.

The school was paid 1,000 and later given a platinum record of the song but the pupils were paid nothing. Mr Rowan said the money would come from a music royalties society and not Pink Floyd. He expected the 23 pupils to receive about 200 each.