Bill targets bogus bands using legendary names

Washington Times ^ | 2-6-07 | Seth McLaughlin

[JZelle]

A Virginia lawmaker wants to pull the plug on musicians who bill themselves as legendary bands like the Drifters when no original band member is part of the group. "A lot of these old performing artists from the 50's and 60's are not that rich and people are making money off their image and their songs by using their name and these guys are getting nothing for it," said Delegate David B. Albo, Fairfax County Republican. "That gets under my skin."

[JZelle]

About time!

[Rakkasan1]

calling yourself Creedance Clearwater Revisited is one way around the long arm of the law...

[cpprfld]

Don't these politicians have anything better to do? I never even realized this was an issue, because wouldn't the use of another bands name be a trademark violation?

[KarlInOhio]

Delegate David B. Albo, Fairfax County Republican. "That gets under my skin."

After all, we elect our representatives so they can take care of their pet peeves.

[ARE SOLE]

calling yourself Creedance Clearwater Revisited is one way around the long arm of the law...

How about The Captain and Toenail? Oliva Nuetron Bomb ok?

Regards.

[1rudeboy]

The Whom.

[Yo-Yo]

Jefferson Airship

[pikachu]

How would Mini Kiss do under this bill? Would it bring them up short or over look them?

[OB1kNOb]

The Rolling Stoned?

[Tijeras_Slim]

So much for my faux Great White "Hotter than Hell" Tour. :(

[LonePalm]

The Mommies and the Daddies
The Windows
Princess

Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)
LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)Princess

[Yo-Yo]

Oh yeah? Tiny Kiss would kick Mini Kiss' mini-tails!

The Littlest Rock and Roll Feud: Mini Kiss vs Tiny Kiss

[mbynack]

Back when these bands were famous, the record companies signed contracts with them that gave the record company the rights to the band's names. Most of these older musicians were so happy to be making money that they didn't think about the long term effects.

As much as I agree with the sentiment, the record company bought the rights to the name and it's their property.

[RobRoy]

This is gonna protect, what, 100 people? Not much of a compelling argument for a new law. Especially when they already have recourse.

[Torpedogirl]

All those old bands need to do is talk to Gene Simmons from KISS. He'll tell them how to milk every penny from a band's image . . . and he'll charge them $500,000 a head to teach them.

[Larry Lucido]

No wonder this "Beetles" CD sucks.

[dmz]

Jefferson Airship
______

LOL. Even amongst themselves they had 4 names.
Jefferson Airplane
Jefferson Starship
Starship
Jefferson Starship The Next Generation

The rest of band leaves me cold, but Jorma Kaukonen is playing great Americana music these days - Blue Country Heart is just awesome stuff.

[NorthFlaRebel]

Just for clarification, the bill is not aimed at tribute or cover bands such as mini-Kiss or Metal Skool. What they are talking about are "bands" who have had line-up changes probably dozens of times over 30 to 50 years, and now not one original member is part of the band - but they advertise themselves as the "hit band" anyway, when none of the current members were on the original albums.

But I don't see the issue here. I don't even think there is a copywright issue either as the current members "became" the band(a bunch of people didn't just get together and say, "Hey, lets call ourselves 'The Drifter' and play all their old songs without them knowing). The bill's sponsor just seems like a consumer advocate with misplaced priorities.

[Yo-Yo]

Oftentimes the rights to the name of the band is bought and sold among the surviving members just like any other piece of property. Sometimes the eventual owner of the name wasn't in the original band, hires other people who were never in the original band, but still have the right to call themselves by the band's original name.

Methinks that the good Virignia lawmaker got sucked in at the State Fair last year.

[Rakkasan1]

The Ann Coulter Cult.