Mike Carter at The Seattle Times is covering a legal battle between A&M; Records and Rajan Parashar, the co-founder of London Bridge Studios, over the rights to Temple Of The Dog masters tapes.

Temple Of The Dog was the sole endeavor by the supergroup of the same name whose lineup included members of Soundgarden and Pearl Jam. The album was recorded in 1990 at London Bridge Studios in Seattle and became a platinum seller that brought together members of two of the city’s defining bands. The story behind the making of the album, recorded in just 15 days, has become a thing of grunge legend.

In a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Seattle earlier this week, A&M; Records, which claims it bought the album from the band in 1991, alleges a Seattle man, Rajan Parashar — co-founder of London Bridge Studios — has the master tapes and won’t turn them over.

Parashar’s attorney, Warren Rheaume of the Seattle firm Davis Wright Tremaine, acknowledged on Friday his client has the master tapes.

“He’s had them all along,” Rheaume said, “They’re his.”

According to the lawsuit, London Bridge Studio owner Rick Parashar, Rajan Parashar’s brother, initially produced Temple of the Dog on a verbal agreement with the band. After the album’s success, the lawsuit said, they memorialized the deal in a contract signed in 1993, in which A&M; alleges Rick Parashar agreed to turn over the master tapes and all rights to them for $35,000.

The lawsuit claims that Rick Parashar failed to respond to several requests by A&M;’s attorneys at the Seattle law firm of K&L; Gates to turn over the tapes. Rick Parashar died in August. Eventually, the lawsuit claims, Rick Parashar’s manager said the tapes were in the possession of Rajan Parashar.

The lawsuit demands he turn the tapes over immediately, and asks the court for damages and attorneys’ fees.

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