Estate takes legal action over 'Trojan Souls' film
George Michael's estate is suing his former best friend Andros Georgiou for charging fans to watch footage of the late star online from the recording of a lost album. The legal action, filed at London's Intellectual Property and Enterprise Court, claims the estate's rights have been breached over the release of the film Trojan Souls – The Greatest Album That Was Never Made.
Film features 90 minutes of studio recordings
The film includes almost 90 minutes of recordings of Michael in the studio, shot in 1992 and 1993. A website launched last month offers fans access for £4.99 for 48 hours, while a £19.99 VIP tier promises previously unheard recordings of unreleased songs from the Wham! star.
Georgiou, 63, says he had 'no idea' about the lawsuit until contacted by The Sun. He told Metro in a statement: 'First and foremost – my brother in arms, my best friend, George Michael to you, Yog to me – would turn in his grave knowing what Russells (the estate's lawyers) are attempting – and spending his money to do it.'
Georgiou defends the release as a home video
Georgiou claims the footage was shot by him with Michael's full approval, using a camcorder given by Sony during the Faith tour in Japan. He said: 'This was a home video leaked over 30 years ago.' He decided to release the film himself because it kept resurfacing on YouTube and other platforms, with others profiting from his home video.
The album Trojan Souls was set to feature duets with stars including Sir Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Janet Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Bryan Ferry, Seal and Sade. However, Michael lost interest after his then-partner Anselmo Feleppa's health declined. Following Feleppa's death in March 1993, the record was never completed.
Friendship and legal battle
Georgiou and Michael grew up together as second cousins, with their fathers moving from Cyprus to the UK in 1953. They co-founded Aegean Records in 1996 but fell out after Michael's arrest in a LA public toilet in 1998. They had planned to reconcile before Michael's death, speaking on the phone in his final weeks.
The estate's holding companies, Robobuild Limited and Big Geoff Overseas Limited, brought the claim against Georgiou and Tribe Media, the film's distributor. Georgiou added: 'Yes, we fell out, but we loved and cared for each other deeply, and I find the baseless claims and the constant attempts to erase me from history both disrespectful and, frankly, a bit desperate.'
Michael died of natural causes at his home in Goring-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, on Christmas Day 2016 at age 53.
