UPDATE:

Pharrell var kvick med att svara på det öppna brev familjen Gaye publicerade. I ett kort uttalande säger stjärnproducenten:

“The verdict handicaps any creator out there who is making something that might be inspired by something else. If we lose our freedom to be inspired, we’re going to look up one day and the entertainment industry as we know it will be frozen in litigation. This is about protecting the intellectual rights of people who have ideas.”

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Förra veckan kom nyheten att Marvin Gayes familj tilldömts ett skadestånd på 7,4 miljoner dollar efter en stämningsansökan gentemot Robin Thicke och Pharrell Williams gällande hitsingeln “Blurred Lines”. Uppgifter har även förekommit senaste dagarna i media att familjen avser att även stämma medverkande och distribuerande parter; artisten T.I. samt skivbolagen Universal Music Group och Interscope.

Nu klargör dock Marvin Gayes barn, Nona, Frankie och Marvin III i ett brev avsikterna med stämningen, efter att rykten och falska uttalanden spridits i nöjespress och sociala medier. Läs utdrag ur brevet nedan från Rolling Stone:

“Like all music fans, we have an added appreciation for songs that touch us in mysterious ways. Mr. Thicke and Mr. Williams certainly have a right to be inspired by “Got to Give It Up” but as the jury ruled, they did not have the right to use it without permission as a blueprint for a track they were constructing.

Great artists like our dad intentionally build their music to last, but we as the caretakers of such treasures, have an obligation to be vigilant about preserving the integrity of the music so that future generations understand its origins and feel its effect as the artist intended, and to assure that it retains its value.

We feel as many do that, our father, Marvin Gaye, is an artist for the ages. But whether we’re talking about a work created 50 years ago or a work created 50 years from now – protecting the legacy of original artistry is not a personal obligation, but a universal commitment in support of enduring creative achievement, encouraging future artists to also aim for new ground and their own legacies. That is what copyright laws help us do; they give people the incentive to write original songs and then help protect those songs.

Our dad spent his life writing music- that is his legacy to us all- he wrote from his heart and was a brilliant songwriter, arranger, producer and one-of-a-kind vocalist. If he were alive today, we feel he would embrace the technology available to artists and the diverse music choices and spaces accessible to fans who can stream a song at a moment’s notice. But we also know he would be vigilant about safeguarding the artist’s rights; a sacred devotion to not only the artist, but key in encouraging and supporting innovation. He also gave credit where credit is due.”

Familjen påpekar också att en stämning gällande Pharrell’s superhit “Happy” inte är aktuell.

“And finally, we want to put to rest any rumors that we are contemplating claims against Pharrell Williams for his song, “Happy.” This is 100% false. We have absolutely no claim whatsoever concerning “Happy.” ”

Robin Thicke och Pharrell Williams har överklagat domen och det väntas nya domstolsförhandlingar senare i vår.