Aston 'Familyman' Barrett has many things going for him; he played bass on some of the most important pieces of music of the last 100 years and – with 52 kids – he probably has the most powerful sperm in the universe.

But there's some things that Aston 'Familyman' Barrett just doesn't have; like the £60 million in unpaid royalties that he was suing Bob Marley's estate and Island Records for. Aston lost the case yesterday, so it'll be lumps of coal and a satsuma for each of his kids this Christmas and not the PSPs and Gooey Louie games that they were hoping for.

Aston 'Familyman' Barrett took Bob Marley's family and old record label to court in March, after Barrett claimed that he and his brother Carlton – the rhythm section for The Wailers – did not receive any royalties or song-writing credits following Bob Marley's death in 1981. Barrett's sums told him that he was owed £60 million.

Carlton and Aston Barrett played on several albums with Bob Marley – including Natty Dread and Babylon By Bus – and claim to have written several of The Wailers' songs, but the lawsuit was thrown out yesterday by Mr Justice Kim Lewison after Island Records boss Chris Blackwell said that the Barrett brothers had surrendered any future royalties 12 years ago in a deal worth "several hundred thousand pounds." The verdict was welcomed by Bob Marley's family who – in a statement – said:

"We always felt this would be the outcome, and it was hard to listen to
Aston Barrett reduce his friend Bob to someone who was more interested
in playing football than making music."

Aston 'Familyman' Barrett is now liable for the lawsuit court costs, and may have to sell two Jamaican properties to meet the bill. We can't help feeling that there'll be a 52-strong Jamaican chimney-sweep empire starting up in Jamaica sometime soon…

Read more:

Bob Marley Bass Player Loses Royalty Lawsuit – Reuters

[story by Stuart Heritage]