Unreleased Marvin Gaye music uncovered in Belgium, could lead to legal battle

[Teletubby 150,349]

A collection of cassette tapes containing a host of unreleased Marvin Gaye songs has been found in the Belgian city of Ostend and could lead to legal battle

It has potentially lain hidden in Belgium for over 40 years.

The collection, thought to contain 66 demo songs, belonged to the musician Charles Dumolin, in whose home Gaye stayed in 1981 as he underwent detox to fight cocaine addiction. When Dumolin died in 2019, the recordings were handed down to his family, along with a cache of Gaye memorabilia.

Debate has begun over whether Dumolin’s family have the right to keep the material.

Belgian law says that after 30 years, the material becomes the property of the person who holds it, regardless of how it was acquired. The law, however, does not apply to intellectual property, potentially creating a situation in which the Dumolin family are adjudged owners of the tapes but do not have the right to publish the songs. That right may instead belong to Gaye’s heirs in the United States. 

Alex Trappeniers, a business partner of the Dumolin family, said: “[The tapes] belong to [the family] because they were left in Belgium 42 years ago. Marvin gave it to them and said, ‘Do whatever you want with it’ and he never came back. That’s important.
source

[Anderson123 38,611]

Imagine someone moving into a new apartment in 30 years and finding an ARTPOP Act II CD from when Gaga used to play it with her friends. 

[Bling 31,452]

2 hours ago, Teletubby said:

Gaye memorabilia