Gaye’s Children Respond to Lawsuit

As I have previously discussed, Robin Thicke, Pharrell Williams,and Clifford Harris, Jr. (T.I.) filed a preemptive lawsuit against MarvinGaye’s children on August 19 in order to stop any claims the children may havefor intentional copyright infringement of the Gaye song “Got to Give It Up.”

When Gaye’s children first heard the hit single “Blurred Lines,”they assumed Thicke and Williams obtained the proper license from EMI/SONY touse their father’s song.  However,EMI/SONY told Gaye’s children no license was ever granted nor was any licenseneeded.

Besides asking the court to reject any copyright infringementclaims, the Blurred Lines writers also challenge the children’s standing.  According to Gaye’s children, EMI/SONY wouldhave to file a countersuit.  However,EMI/SONY has refused to take action and refused to assign the children theright to file themselves, forcing the children to sue EMI/SONY for breach of contractand failure to perform fiduciary duties. 

See Marvin Gaye’s Children Respond to LawsuitFiled by Robin Thicke, Pharrell Williams and Clifford Harris, Jr., PRNewswire, Oct. 30, 2013.