Sea of Tunes
Encyclopedia
Sea of Tunes was a music publishing company, founded in 1962 by Murry Wilson
, father to three of the Beach Boys (Brian
, Dennis
, and Carl Wilson
), and uncle of another member (Mike Love
), to publish and promote the original songs written by Brian and Mike.
After being fired as their manager by Brian in 1964, Murry continued to serve as their publisher, until he sold Sea of Tunes to A&M Records
in 1969 for $750,000. Murry believed that the band's days had peaked, and that he was doing them a favour by selling out when the band was at its low point in the late 1960s. Instead the band was furious, and Mike and Brian (who was having enough problems, in the throes of mental illness and increasing drug intake) were especially heartbroken.
Years after Murry's death, a recovered Brian Wilson sued for the return of his song copyrights. While he failed to recover them in court, he was awarded $25 million in damages, including unpaid and underpaid royalties
. Mike Love had also discovered he'd never been credited by Murry for many of the songs (like "California Girls
") he'd co-written with Brian, and thus had also lost out on royalties. Unable to come to a settlement on their own, and with no supposed malice toward each other, Mike sued Brian for a share of his award, and won $13 million.
Murry Wilson
Murry Gage Wilson was an American musician and record producer, best remembered as the father of The Beach Boys members Brian Wilson, Dennis Wilson, and Carl Wilson, uncle of bandmate Mike Love, and the husband of Audree Wilson...
, father to three of the Beach Boys (Brian
Brian Wilson
Brian Douglas Wilson is an American musician, best known as the leader and chief songwriter of the group The Beach Boys. Within the band, Wilson played bass and keyboards, also providing part-time lead vocals and, more often, backing vocals, harmonizing in falsetto with the group...
, Dennis
Dennis Wilson
Dennis Carl Wilson was an American rock and roll musician best known as a founding member and the drummer of The Beach Boys. He was a member of the group from its formation until his death in 1983...
, and Carl Wilson
Carl Wilson
Carl Dean Wilson was an American rock and roll singer and guitarist, best known as a founding member, lead guitarist and sometime lead vocalist of The Beach Boys...
), and uncle of another member (Mike Love
Mike Love
Michael Edward "Mike" Love is an American singer/songwriter and musician with The Beach Boys. He was a founding member of the band along with his cousins Brian, Carl, and Dennis Wilson, and their friend Al Jardine, and continues to perform with the band to the present day...
), to publish and promote the original songs written by Brian and Mike.
After being fired as their manager by Brian in 1964, Murry continued to serve as their publisher, until he sold Sea of Tunes to A&M Records
A&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
in 1969 for $750,000. Murry believed that the band's days had peaked, and that he was doing them a favour by selling out when the band was at its low point in the late 1960s. Instead the band was furious, and Mike and Brian (who was having enough problems, in the throes of mental illness and increasing drug intake) were especially heartbroken.
Years after Murry's death, a recovered Brian Wilson sued for the return of his song copyrights. While he failed to recover them in court, he was awarded $25 million in damages, including unpaid and underpaid royalties
Royalties
Royalties are usage-based payments made by one party to another for the right to ongoing use of an asset, sometimes an intellectual property...
. Mike Love had also discovered he'd never been credited by Murry for many of the songs (like "California Girls
California Girls
"California Girls" is a song by American rock band The Beach Boys, featured on their ninth studio album Summer Days . Written by band-members Brian Wilson and Mike Love, the song features contrasting verse-chorus form...
") he'd co-written with Brian, and thus had also lost out on royalties. Unable to come to a settlement on their own, and with no supposed malice toward each other, Mike sued Brian for a share of his award, and won $13 million.