Gary Glitter reportedly won't receive royalties for 'Joker' song
Gary Glitter will not be paid for the use of one of his songs in the movie Joker.
Cinema-goers were horrified to discover Todd Phillips’s new film — starring Joaquin Phoenix as the comic book villain —features Rock and Roll Part 2, by the convicted sex offender.
But Snapper Music and Universal Music Publishing Group, which own the rights to Glitter’s back catalog, told the Los Angeles Times that “Gary Glitter does not get paid — we’ve had no contact with him.”
“Gary Glitter’s publishing interest in the copyright of his songs is owned by UMPG and other parties, therefore UMPG does not pay him any royalties or other considerations,” Universal Music Publishing Group said.
The song features in a key scene, during which Phoenix's failed comedian Arthur Fleck makes his transformation into his psychotic alter ego. The song plays for around two minutes as Phoenix walks down a long flight of stairs.
Glitter — real name Paul Gadd — is currently serving a 16-year prison sentence for sexual offenses against children. He was convicted in 2015 of attempted rape, four counts of indecent assault and one of having sex with a girl under the age of 13.
The singer was first arrested in 1997 after pornographic images of children were found on a computer he had taken for repair. He was jailed for four months relating to that offence in 1999, and for three years in Vietnam after being convicted of child sex offenses in 2006.
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