Did Jeff ever take legal action over The Changingman?

[unomusette]

When I first heard The Changingman by Paul Weller I couldn't believe my ears - what a blatant rip-off of 10538 Overture!

Now and then I've tried to look up Jeff's reaction to it but haven't ever found anything. Plenty of discussion by other people but nothing from the man himself. Does anyone know if he took it to court or made any comments about it?

Here it is for memory-refreshing purposes

[BSJ]

WOW!
Who is this Paul Weller?

[Helmut83]

Unomusette, on the old forum I once opened a thread about this very same subject. As far as I can remember, no one knew anything about Jeff taking any legal action.

I think he should. The ripoff is blatant and that guys is a very mediocre musician so he deserves to be chastisized for stealing others' ideas.

[Horacewimp]

According to this website Jeff did try to sue Weller.

Top 10 Rip Offs

This is also interesting.

[queenofthehours]

I remember during the Commonwealth Games on the BBC there was a short sports feature on the cyclist Bradley Wiggins. Bradley is well known as a bit of a mod and a big Paul Weller fan. Over the feature, whoever was in charge of the music chose to play '10538 Overture' in place of the expected song Weller's 'Changing Man'. Well done to the BBC music people for playing the "real" tune (even though Wiggo has never professed to being an ELO fan) - unless, of course, they couldn't tell the difference.

[unomusette]

Sadly I think "couldn't tell the difference" is most likely

Still, at least Jeff would have received the royalties


Edit: Having visited the website in Horace's post I can sort of see the10538/Dear Prudence aspect, but it's nowhere near as atrocious as Weller's rip-off.
Shame on him *stern face*