Almost two years ago (Sept 2023), when I discovered that Minimal Wave, on the basis of contracts long expired (or never signed for as for the EP LET'S GO 2023) was publishing and exploiting records, t-shirts, of DEUX without informing me and without my permission (nor that of Gérard's beneficiaries), I forbade the managers of this so-called label to exploit my songs, my images, my photos, my covers, photos of myself, my name.... Today I can see that this label is continuing this exploitation, without any shame, showing the deepest contempt for me and my will. (See law L111 and after).

At the time, Minimal Wave, through Ms Vasicka, claimed that Gérard Pelletier (who died on 01/01/2013), had given them all the rights to the works of DEUX (???), and had never spoken to them about me (???), nor given them my contact details (a shameless lie); today this is no longer the case.

Today (June 2025), Minimal Wave, duly informed by myself, is deliberately violating, without any scruples, all my rights relating to DEUX, whether moral, patrimonial, as well as my image rights (all Minimal Wave banners, whether on Youtube or elsewhere, use my image, without any rights, without my consent and against my will).

Moreover, this label hijacks my name and that of DEUX (as a founding member, I am legally DEUX today) to attract followers (for example bandcamp) into its nets and sell them counterfeit vinyl (see below) illegal downloads, exploited without authorisation and against my will.

As Ms Vasicka wrote to me with aplomb, Minimal Wave has never asked SACEM for a pressing licence, nor paid mechanical reproduction rights, on the pretext that it has declared the titles of DEUX to ASCAP (of which neither Cati Tête nor Gérard Pelletier are members...).

Some time ago, ASCAP sent us a letter confirming that it was in no way taking the place of SACEM, that it did not issue pressing authorisations and did not collect mechanical reproduction rights (this is also specified in their regulations). ASCAP only collects distribution rights for DEUX in the USA on behalf of Minimal Wave!

It seems to me that requesting a pressing and exploitation authorisation from SACEM, for the titles of its members, is MANDATORY and has been valid for every label in the world for almost 100 years. Clearly, the Minimal Wave label claims to be exempt, for DEUX and no doubt all the other SACEM members in its catalogue...

SACEM's legal department (who have been informed, but who are taking their time... I'm obviously not a priority) have confirmed to me that for each edition that has not been the subject of a request for authorisation (15 days before pressing) and payment of mechanical reproduction rights, SACEM/SDRM will publish a notice of infringement (When? I'm waiting...).

I suppose SACEM must be looking closely at the entire Minimal Wave catalogue. In a future court case, SACEM will almost certainly sue for damages, probably to the tune of several tens of thousands of euros.

Whatever the case, and however long it takes, there is no doubt that those responsible at Minimal Wave (and Electronic Sound UK, for the Single EUROPE/PARIS ORLY published and marketed without informing me) will, at some point, be prosecuted for counterfeiting, violation of moral rights, violation of image rights, fraudulent appropriation of phonograms, etc, etc, etc, etc.... Act : L335-4  (performer right) et L335-2 (author right and couterfeit).

[The procedure is long and arduous; taking legal action abroad, and in the USA in particular, is quite complex. I've been bogged down in all this for several months now. Especially as Gérard's successors in title are unknown to me, and the SACEM, notaries, etc. are not rushing to respond... The lawyers I've dealt with are not always competent on the issue... In short, hell! But there are still several years to go, so I'm not giving up hope. Especially as moral rights are not subject to any statute of limitations].

I would remind you that the contracts for : Decadence (LP) and Golden Dreams - (EP) which were signed for 5 years - expired nearly 10 years ago. It should also be noted that Minimal Wave never honoured these contracts. Royalties were paid only once, during the winter of 2011/2012. As soon as Gérard died, Ms Vasicka was quick to forget about me, to pretend I'd never existed. Nevertheless, in 2023, Minimal Wave offered me money - for example 375 euros for each reissue of Decandence and Golden Dreams, 0 euro for Let's Go - but I refused. According to a lawyer and SACEM's legal department, I was right to refuse, especially without a contract; it would have been to validate their actions and run the risk of being an accomplice to counterfeiting.

It has to be said that Ms Vasicka, Minimal Wave, claims that Gérard Pelletier, before he died, verbally ceded to her 'ad infinitum' (in her own words) the rights to the entire work of DEUX. Then claims that he alone signed a contract for LET'S GO, published 10 years later! In a final message (sent by a certain Jack...), this label insidiously threatens to sue me if I don't let them peacefully exploit all my works, all my life, for their own profit!

You have to understand that for Ms Vasicka, DEUX is only Gérard Pelletier. Which is very convenient, since Gérard is no longer there to defend or contradict her... What could be more cowardly and sordid than making the dead talk?

But DEUX, it was always Gérard Pelletier & Cati Tête, it was a friendship above all else. I don't believe for a second that Gérard LEGALLY signed anything over "forever" to Minimal Wave without my consent. We always decided everything together.

I doubt very much that Minimal Wave will be able to claim before any court of law to be the owners of the rights of DEUX "ad infinitum"  and against my will; these sinister individuals are not Gérard Pelletier's heirs and certainly not mine!

As a rule, in order to be legally valid, a publishing contract must have a limited duration, generally 3 to 5 years in the music industry. An exploitation period of more than 5 years (without ever having contacted the rights holders again) will be eminently suspect in court; the artist always being considered by a court of law as the weaker party.

On the other hand, Gérard is not the owner of the rights to Cati Tête and cannot assign them in my place, let alone 'ad infinitum'! My rights as author (music, graphics), performer, image, phonogram, etc. belong to me and will belong to my heirs for another 50 to 70 years after me. But at Minimal Wave, Ms Vasicka doesn't care about that... she's sure she's the owner of DEUX and therefore the owner of Cati Tête's rights, forever.

However, I would remind you that Minimal Wave is absolutely not the owner of the copyright of the songs (that's the Sacem), is absolutely not the owner of the phonograms (Minimal Wave is not a producer (in the legal sense), has never financed the recording of a single title of DEUX, but has recorded ISRC codes (without any specific licence) in its name by fraudulently modifying the duration of the titles already recorded); Minimal Wave is absolutely not a publisher of DEUX (the fraudulent registrations in the ASCAP database do not correspond to the SACEM database (confirmed by the sacem support team) where Minimal Wave has never been declared as a publisher). You can check: here, here or here. No Minimal Wave as publisher registred here.

I'll say it again: Minimal Wave USA (and Electronic Sound, UK) have never asked for nor obtained from me any exploitation rights (performer, image rights, cover author) for the single PARIS ORLY/EUROPE nor for the maxi LET'S GO (Author of all the tracks, performer, cover author, co-producer...). In an e-mail, Ms Vasicka declares that I have nothing to say, that she has all the rights to my works, my image, my life!

I hope that, following a court case, all DEUX records produced by MW and Electronic Sound will be banned from sale, including on the second-hand market.

I repeat, publicly: I, Cati Tête, founding member of DEUX, author, performer, cover artist, have no contract with Minimal Wave (which has ignored me since 2012) and I forbid (as I have already done in 2023) this label to exploit my songs, my voice, my image, my covers and my name... ANYTHING SOLD BY MINIMAL WAVE (VINYL/DIGITAL) WITH MY NAME, MY VOICE, MY IMAGE IS A CLEAR VIOLATION OF MY RIGHTS AND MY PERSON.

The public of DEUX must be aware that Minimal Wave is the worst thing that happened to me since the creation of DEUX with Gérard. Seeing my work associated and exploited by these dark characters makes me sick.

If you want to support me, please don't buy, don't listen to and don't distribute the DEUX records published by this label. BECAUSE, IN THE HANDS OF MINIMAL WAVE, DEUX IS NO LONGER MUSIC, BUT VIOLENCE THAT HURTS YOUR EARS AND LIFE.

Thank you for not supporting counterfeiting.

Thank you for not being an accomplice to these abuses and violations.

Cati Tête

June 2025

If you have read this until here and you are a lawyer in the state of N.Y (USA) interested by this case now or when there will be a court decision in France to transfer to N.Y Court, and or law enforcement,  please do not hesitate to contact me. cati AT catitete.fr