Summary
- Neil Young is being sued by the luxury brand Chrome Hearts
- The lawsuit is over the name of his new backing band, “The Chrome Hearts”
- Chrome Hearts claims consumer confusion, especially from the sale of the band’s merchandise
A surprising legal battle is unfolding as luxury fashion brand Chrome Hearts has filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against legendary musician Neil Young. The suit stems from the name of Young’s new backing band, “Neil Young and The Chrome Hearts,” a name the fashion house claims is “confusingly similar” and has led to confusion among consumers.
According to the lawsuit, filed in California federal court, the fashion brand alleges that Young’s use of the name and the sale of band merchandise could trick fans and consumers into believing there is a collaboration between the two entities. The company has been operating under the name since 1988, while the name of Young’s band is a direct reference to a lyric from his 1976 song, “Long May You Run.” Chrome Hearts’ lawyers have outlined that the brand’s ownership “of the CHROME HEARTS® word mark, and composite trademarks comprising the CHROME HEARTS mark and design components” dates back 1991.
While trademark law typically allows different industries to share a name, the issue here revolves around the sale of merchandise. The lawsuit states, “The likelihood of confusion is not merely hypothetical. Some clothing and apparel vendors have apparently already mistakenly assumed that there is a connection between NYTCH and Chrome Hearts, and are actively promoting that purported connection. For example, some vendors have started marketing t-shirts that prominently display Mr. Young’s name along with Chrome Hearts’s iconic stylization of the CHROME HEARTS® mark.” The fashion brand, known for its high-end jewelry and clothing, is seeking an injunction to stop Young’s band from using the name, along with unspecified damages. Chrome Hearts had reportedly notified the artist and his team of the alleged trademark infringement back in July but they have continued to tour under the banner and sell merch. The dispute is a legal case of pop culture, intellectual property, and rock and roll history.
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