The Slants in action.
Posted on 10/20/2013 1:22:10 PM PDT by Theoria
The Slants, a six-member band from Portland, Ore., calls their sound "Chinatown Dance Rock" — a little bit New Order, a little bit Depeche Mode. They describe themselves as one of the first Asian-American rock bands. Their music caters to an Asian-American crowd, they've spoken at various Asian-American events, and they're proud of all of it.
But the Slants have been duking it out with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) over the past four years because of their name. The PTO refused the band's two trademark applications, saying that "slants" is a disparaging term for people of Asian descent. Now the band plans to take their case to a federal circuit court.
"They said because of our ethnicity, people automatically think of the racial slur as opposed to any other definition of the term," Simon Tam, founder and bassist of The Slants, told me. "In other words, if I was white, this wouldn't be an issue at all," Tam, who goes by "Simon Young" onstage, is of Taiwanese and Chinese descent. (The entire Slants crew is Asian-American.)
(We reached out to the lawyer at the patent office; a spokesperson for the trademark office said he couldn't comment on pending cases.)
(Excerpt) Read more at npr.org ...
The Slants in action.
They should rename themselves, “The Round Eyes.” It’ll get PTO approval in no time!
But at least The Dead Kennedies and the Butthole Surfers passed muster. LOL
My suggestion: rename to “The Pacific Rimmers”.
You get the asians, the fags, and the Red Dwarf fans all in one shot.
Kennedys...fyi
If they really want to stir up a fuss, they should call themselves ‘The Asian Valedictorians’.
Do we need to learn how to dance Slants Style?
LOL So, THAT’S the kind of agent you are!
I need some attention. Respect my authoritay!
Where Indian fights are colorful sights
and nobody takes a lickin’
Where pale face and redskin
Both turn chicken.
I’d go with “Yellowskins” just to PO Obama.
emmmm....”sarcastic”? i am sarcastic.
COuld also do it a little more subtle and go with “The Lemonskins”.
Maybe “The Lemonasians” could work too.
This stuff always piques my creative juices.
There's already a band called "The Lemonheads." (did a cool cover of 'Mrs. Robinson')
LOL!!
Sarcastic? Maybe. Good business sense? Appears to be abundant! heh
They can do that? For that reason?
"They said because of our ethnicity, people automatically think of the racial slur as opposed to any other definition of the term," Simon Tam, founder and bassist of The Slants, told me. "In other words, if I was white, this wouldn't be an issue at all" ...
No way! White people get away with everything ...
I don’t know about you guys, but I’m having trouble counting six members in this band. ;)
I like “The Slants.” Since when did the United States Patent and Trademark Office become arbiters of political correctness?
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