Modular Recordings founder being sued for missing Tame Impala royalties

The founder of Modular Recordings, Steve “Pav” Pavlovic, is being sued by BMG for withholding royalties from Australian band Tame Impala.

The Australian reports that Parker and Tame Impala are owed $450,000 U.S. dollars in unpaid royalties. BMG - who own the publishing rights to Tame Impala’s music - is also taking legal action against Modular, Universal Music Australia, and a number of other closely involved subsidiaries. They are being sued for “not only withholding the substantial royalty payments but ignoring legal advice to cease and desist selling operations with regard to Tame Impala’s recordings in the lead-up to finally being served with papers filed with the New York Southern District Court early last month.”

Steve “Pav” Pavlovic is no longer at Modular Recordings, and is currently involved in a separate legal dispute with both Modular and Universal Music Australia over the rights to the Modular name.

Back in April, Kevin Parker said in a Reddit AMA that “up until recently, from all of Tame Impala’s record sales outside of Australia, I had received…. zero dollars. Someone high up spent the money before it got to me.”

The case will go to trial at the New York Southern District Court.