Bon Jovi sues a tribute band!!

[Rike]

undercover.com.au/News-Story.aspx?id=7963

Bon Jovi Sue Tribute Band

by Paul Cashmere - April 5 2009
photo by Ros O'Gorman

Bon Jovi appears to have sunk to a new low - suing a covers band.

A legal letter from the law firm Blakely Sokoloff Taylor & Zafman to the girl group Blonde Jovi has surfaced and states, “It has recently come to our attention that your band is using the mark and name BLONDE JOVI in connection with live musical performances; more specifically, a Bon Jovi tribute band. Our investigation also uncovered that you are using BJP’s “Heart and Dagger” Logo trademark prominently on your website. Unfortunately, and despite the fact that our client appreciates the reverence that your band pays tribute to Bon Jovi, as a tribute band, our client nevertheless is charged with the duty of enforcing its trademark rights. In this regard, BJP cannot allow your band to use the mark and name BLONDE JOVI (or any other BJP trademarks), as such use creates a likelihood of confusion with our client, and capitalizes on the goodwill and reputation of its well-known marks”.

Is Jon Bon Jovi for real or does he well and truly have his head stuck up his own arse?

A girl-group playing in tiny venues who are paying homage to their heroes “creates a likelihood of confusion” with one of the biggest rock bands in the world.

This is arrogance at its greatest. Bon Jovi should be ashamed of themselves for putting their pitbull lawyers onto a group who obviously adore the band.

“In view of the above, we demand, on behalf of our client, that you and your band immediately (i) cease and desist any and all further use of the mark and name BLONDE JOVI, or any other mark or name similar to our client’s BON JOVI mark, in any manner”.

This line cracked me up. “We have no objection to your use of the word BLONDE as long as it is not used in combination with JOVI”.

If this is the attitude of Bon Jovi a cease and desist is definitely in order. Fans should cease and desist listening to their music, cease and desist buying their music and cease and desist going to their concerts.

the homepage isn't online anymore and they have renamed the band

www.myspace.com/blondejersey


but I can't unterstand this, it's just a coverband!!

[norwichliz]

Hmmm....not sure I understand this either. There's several cover bands out there - I've seen a couple of them, with names using part....oh wait a minute....they don't use Bon Jovi, they use song/album titles...like Slippery When Wet....maybe that's the difference. If that's the case, they should say so.

[Hath]

They aren't "suing" the tribute band. The law firm just sent a form letter (I'm sure they must send out a zillion of those things) telling them to stop using a name that sounded like "Bon Jovi" and to stop using the H-n-D logo. Their logo is more stylized than the Jovi one, and doesn't really look like Jovi's, but I don't know if this is their original logo or not.

I sincerely think it's just the law firm doing their job. I don't think "Jon" is maliciously doing anything to them, like that editorial suggests. Not that ANYONE would mistake these girls for the real BJ (which is why I think it's a boilerplate template they used for the letter) lol.

Some people just love to hate Bon Jovi (and/or its members) and look for any little opportunity to do so.

I think they should have gone with their original name idea: Boob Jovi. That would have been hysterical to see in a legal doc.

[T]

Lucy and I were discussing this just this morning. I think that had they used just the name and not tried to use the H-n-D logo, they would've been okay. But the logo is trademarked....and I can't say that I blame Jon or the guys for getting upset about someone using it....but I think Hath is probably right...it was probably just a form letter issued by the lawyers...Jon might not even be completely aware of what's going on....lol

[Kris]

I agree with T. When he would know about all the letters his lawyers send out, he wouldn't be able to perform anymore. That's what lawyers are for, they do the stuff you don't wanna deal with.