Gioeli states in his lawsuit, filed in December in California, that he owns the master recording and composition of the song. He was unaware that it had been used in at least 25 games, including re-releases of Sonic Adventure 2 and Yakuza 4, and he claims that Sega lacks the proper licenses for these uses, meaning he has not been compensated correctly.
I have no comment other than my desire to maintain the preservation of a long-standing beautiful relationship with Sega. I do not want fans to draw conclusions or be disrupted from the beautiful memories we have made collectively with this music. I believe and hope we will come to a peaceful settlement that will be fair and just.
Gioeli began collaborating with Sega composer Jun Senoue in the 1990s and was paid $3,000 in 2001 to write the lyrics for 'Live and Learn.' The lawsuit argues that the scope of their work changed over time, with Gioeli taking an active role in the recording and production of the song.
Gioeli's lawyer says damages for the breach of contract could be more than $500,000. Restitution for the unpaid royalties is listed at another $500,000 or more.
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