Legal dispute ensues between Coldplay and former manager over substantial amount of money

Coldplay and their former manager, Dave Holmes, are embroiled in a legal battle over money in London's High Court. Holmes, who worked with the band from 2005 to 2022, filed a lawsuit in August claiming £10 million in unpaid commission. In response, Coldplay rejected his claim and demanded £14 million in damages, alleging that Holmes had allowed tour costs to spiral out of control. The case may proceed to court if the parties fail to reach a settlement. Holmes' initial court case asserted that Coldplay owed him commission for two unreleased albums. According to his lawyers, the band received advances of £35 million for their 10th album and £30 million for their 11th and 12th albums. Holmes argued that he played a crucial role in organizing recording sessions, clearing samples, and working with producer Max Martin before the band chose not to renew his contract last year. He is seeking a declaration from the High Court that the contract for the tenth and eleventh albums is valid and payment. For the band's previous albums, Everyday Life (2019) and Music of the Spheres (2021), Holmes claims he received commissions ranging from 8% to 13%. Coldplay's representative stated that they would vigorously dispute the claims when the case was filed. In a counter-claim filed recently, the band alleged that Holmes had secured loans totaling £24.6 million from concert promoters Live Nation, who have a longstanding association with Coldplay. The band claimed that Holmes used his position as manager to gain leverage for his property development venture in Vancouver, Canada. They also argued that this debt could have impacted Holmes' ability to negotiate favorable terms for their ongoing Music of The Spheres tour. Furthermore, Coldplay's counter-claim argued that Holmes failed to adequately control and supervise the tour budget, resulting in unnecessary expenses. They accused him of ordering or purchasing expensive equipment that was unfit for purpose, including a £8 million video screen that was too large to bring on tour and only used for 10 shows in Buenos Aires. The court documents also claim that sixteen stage pylons costing £9 million were bought but rendered unusable. Coldplay contended that if Holmes had fulfilled his obligations with reasonable care and skill, the band would not have incurred a minimum of £17.5 million in costs. In response to the counter-claim, Holmes' spokesperson stated that Coldplay's allegations were attempts to divert attention from the main issue – the band's refusal to honor their contract with Holmes. The former manager will now address the counter-claim as the case moves forward.