Unknown stash of 66 never-before-heard Marvin Gaye songs is found in Belgium as owners gear up for...

A collection of unheard music recordings from the famous Motown artist Marvin Gaye has been discovered in Belgium. This may lead to another legal conflict regarding the possession of these recordings.

According to reports, Charles Dumolin, a musician who spent time with Gaye in the city of Ostend in 1981 while he was struggling with a cocaine addiction, was given 30 cassette tapes that allegedly included roughly 66 new song demos.

One of Gaye's songs, recorded before he created Sexual Healing, is rumored to be significantly better than the others. Belgian lawyer Alex Trappeniers even compared it to a moment of planetary alignment. This song was written while Gaye was in the city.

In the year 2019, Mr. Dumolin passed away and left behind a valuable collection of Gaye memorabilia, including tapes, to his family. However, the recent finding of this material has raised a concern as to whether the Dumolins have the legal rights to retain it.

There is an unclear rule in Belgium that allows a person to claim complete ownership of property, no matter how they obtained it, after 30 years. It is said that Gaye left the valuable items in Mr. Dumolin's possession 42 years ago.

In 1981, Marvin Gaye held a concert in Ostend, Belgium. He had relocated to the city to rehabilitate from his addiction to cocaine. While in Ostend, Gaye composed the iconic track, "Sexual Healing."

Upon the recommendation of concert organizer Freddy Cousaert (seen alongside Gaye in a picture at an Ostend bar), he relocated to Belgium.

While residing in Ostend, Marvin Gaye shared a space with a well-known Belgian composer named Charles Dumolin. It's said that Gaye bestowed Dumolin with a valuable collection of unpublished demo recordings, touring outfits and written materials. You can spot Dumolin's moniker inscribed on the side of the statue of Gaye located in Ostend's casino.

, was said to have had a profound influence on Gaye's creativity during their time together. According to accounts, Dumolin exposed Gaye to different forms of art, including painting and sculpture, which helped to inspire Gaye's own musical work. Some even speculate that Dumolin's influence contributed to Gaye's decision to move away from his earlier Motown sound and explore new creative paths. Regardless of the exact extent of Dumolin's influence, there is no disputing the fact that the time the two spent together in Ostend left an indelible mark on Gaye, helping him to evolve as both an artist and a person.

A lawyer named Alex Trappeniers, representing Mr. Dumolin's family, has suggested that the Gaye estate can potentially engage in discussions to acquire access to the unreleased recordings.

The regulation also pertains to property that has been stolen - although there is no indication that the Dumolins have obtained the Gaye compilation illicitly.

There is a debate over who owns the copyright of the unheard demos that are recorded on physical tapes. The ownership of the tapes does not necessarily mean ownership of the copyright, which might belong to Marvin Gaye's heirs in the US. This disagreement has divided opinions and led to conflict.

Therefore, it is possible that a deadlock situation could arise - as Gaye's family possesses the authorization for the melodies, yet not the melodies in their entirety, and the Dumolin family is in a similar position.

According to Mr Trappeniers, who is in business partnership with the Dumolin family, there's a chance that Gaye's estate could come to an understanding with the Belgians who insist on possessing the collection of the late soul artist's creations.

In an interview with BBC News, he stated that both Marvin's family and Dumolin's heirs would gain advantages from the situation. The story was first reported by BBC News.

If we collaborate and seek out the appropriate individuals in the globe, maybe the likes of Mark Ronson or Bruno Mars... My intention isn't to propose anything specific, rather to agree and say, "Alright, let's give this a listen and create our next album."

Born in 1939 in Washington DC, Gaye commenced her career as a session vocalist and instrumentalist after being discharged from the US Air Force. She later established herself as a successful solo artist.

During the 1960s, he unveiled some popular tracks such as Can I Get A Witness, which was later sung by The Rolling Stones. Another hit was How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You). Additionally, he recorded a few duets with Tammi Terrell which became widely popular, specifically Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing and Ain't No Mountain High Enough.

During the 1970s, Gaye's compositions took on a more intimate tone. He created the poignant protest song "What's Going On," followed by the bold and unapologetic album "Let's Get It On," which established him as a symbol of sexual attraction. Additionally, he produced the lively soundtrack for the 1972 movie "Trouble Man" in the Blaxploitation genre.

However, as the decade drew to a close, Gaye had difficulty with a drug addiction to cocaine and left the United States for London due to concerns that he owed the American tax authorities around $4.5 million, which could result in him being imprisoned if he were to return to the country.

Back in 1981, Gaye crossed paths with a music promoter named Freddy Cousaert at a nightclub located in the city. Cousaert suggested that Gaye come over to his place in Ostend to undergo a detox process.

Gaye started to appear frequently in the town with a population of approximately 70,000, running and biking along the coastline, attending religious services, and distancing himself from the surroundings that influenced him to engage in drug abuse.

According to a Belgian talk show, Gaye has revealed that she is without parents, saying, "Ostend, that's where I grew up without parents."

After he improved his health, the vocalist got ready for a fresh tour called the A Heavy Love Affair Tour and went on to perform it in the UK before concluding it in a city in Belgium.

Even today, Ostend pays tribute to Gaye. Gaye's pictures, including one with Mr. Cousaert on the promenade, can be found in the city's bars. Additionally, a statue of Gaye playing the piano while lost in music is featured in the casino.

The bronze statue has a tiny plate with the name Charles Dumolin on it.

While staying in Ostend, it's rumored that Gaye cohabitated with a musician-turned-artist. When it was time for Gaye to depart, he allegedly gifted the artist with a collection of demo recordings, performance attire, and personal correspondence as a gesture of appreciation for their hospitality.

MailOnline got hold of a document from Mr. Dumolin's website archived since 2008. The document suggests that Gaye cohabitated with Mr. Dumolin, and his wife Greta, also known as Greetje, for a year. The document hints that Gaye had given a present to Mr. Dumolin.

The passage states that Marvin had to depart the country abruptly due to problems with his green card. He was compelled to leave during the late hours of the evening.

However, prior to his departure from the residence, he provided Charles and Greetje with several suitcases as a security deposit for their home.

The Dumolin family desires to ensure that over 120 one-of-a-kind Marvin Gaye mementos return to their homeland. It would be exceptional if these artifacts could be utilized in an authentic Marvin Gaye exhibition.

In 1964, Marvin Gaye began his successful music career as a solo artist. He gained recognition for popular songs like Heard It Through The Grapevine and his melodious collaborations with Tammi Terrell.

The publication of the protest song from 1970 and the accompanying record signaled a new direction towards more intimate subject matter, departing from the customary style of Motown music.

The album Let's Get It On made Gaye famous worldwide as a symbol of sexuality. However, during the decade of the 1970s, he faced tremendous difficulty coping with his addiction to the drug cocaine.

In 1981, a photograph of Marvin Gaye surfaced. This was the period he fled to Belgium because of his battle with cocaine addiction and the fear of being imprisoned in the United States for neglecting to pay his taxes.

In 1983, Marvin Gaye released his last album before meeting an unfortunate end. A year later, Marvin Gay Sr, his father, shot him during a dispute at home.

Mr. Trappenier, a family lawyer, has thoroughly reviewed the assortment of misplaced materials and expressed that out of the 66 rough recordings, a few are fully-formed compositions. Additionally, a small number of them are comparable to "Sexual Healing," one of the most successful tracks by Gaye that he penned during his time in Belgium.

According to him, there was a particular tune that stayed in his mind all day long after listening to it for just ten seconds. The melody and the lyrics were stuck in his head, almost like a rare phenomenon where all the planets align.

The possibility of having a new Marvin Gaye track, or possibly even more, if there are others that are ready for release, is incredibly significant for the soul music community. This is especially true since the singer passed away at such a young age, and in a tragic manner.

Gaye intervened on April 1, 1984, when his father Marvin Gay Sr. and mother Alberta Gay were engaged in a physical altercation at their residence situated in Los Angeles.

When Gaye was a child, his father Gay Sr. used to hit him, and they continued to have disagreements and physical altercations throughout their lives. During one such fight, Gay Sr. grabbed a .38 pistol and shot his son in the heart and shoulder, causing his death as the first bullet proved to be fatal.

Sadly, Gaye had given his father the gun as a Christmas present the previous year. This was during a time when Gaye was struggling with paranoia due to his addiction to cocaine after returning from Belgium.

Marvin Gay Sr faced an allegation of murder at one point and ultimately admitted guilt to a lesser offense of deliberate manslaughter.

Certain content, in case it can be recovered, has the potential to be utilized in producing fresh audio tracks using a similar approach to the one employed for The Beatles' ultimate composition, "Now and Then," that came out in November. This involved the utilization of artificial intelligence to spruce up preserved recordings of the Fab Four.

Prior to that, there must be legal deliberations involving Mr Dumolin's family and Marvin Gaye's offspring, namely Marvin III, Nona, and Frankie, along with the overseers of the musician's assets.

The main point of discussion will be whether the Dumolin family still has any ownership of the actual tapes. Furthermore, it will depend on if they can come to an agreement concerning the use of the recordings, as the legal rights may belong to the estate.

The estate has been involved in various legal battles in the past few years.

The estate of Gaye emerged victorious in a legal battle against Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams, as the court held them responsible for plagiarism in their composition of Blurred Lines. However, their allegations against Ed Sheeran regarding the use of elements from Let's Get It On in Thinking Out Loud were dismissed by the court.

According to the BBC, the legal representatives of two of Marvin Gaye's offspring have been made aware of an extraordinary revelation. It is uncertain if the universe will have access to what may be Gaye's last artistic expressions.

According to the family's legal representative, Mr. Trappenier, it is possible to uncover a time capsule containing Marvin's music and make it accessible to the world. This seems quite evident and evident, as Marvin's presence is still felt.

A movie about Gaye's life is currently being made and it is called What's Going On. The producers include Dr Dre and Gaye's widow, Jan.