By: Sharon Urias, Esq.
After twenty years together, the Stone Temple Pilots not only fired their lead singer Scott Weiland, but filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against him, as well.
The lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court by three original band members, alleges the former lead singer of the band breached his contract with Stone Temple Pilots by using the Stone Temple Pilots’ name, trademark, copyright, logos and artwork after he was fired from the band.
According to loudwire.com, the Stone Temple Pilots have a partnership agreement, which band members first signed in 1992, and then re-signed several times since, which states the band name is the exclusive property of the band, not of the individual band members. The agreement states that should a member leave the band, he cannot use the Stone Temple Pilots name or refer to himself as a former member of the band.
The band claims they fired Weiland in February of this year after he allegedly showed up late to live performances and failed to commit to a new tour schedule. After he was fired from the band, Weiland began a “Purple at the Core” tour, which referenced the Stone Temple Pilots’ two best selling albums. This is, according to current band members, something he is not entitled to do under the partnership agreement.
The band also claims Weiland used the Stone Temple Pilots’ name for publicity to sell his own tour, a tour in which he will be performing Stone Temple Pilots’ material. The lawsuit is asking for millions of dollars in damages and injunctive relief.
Weiland’s response to the lawsuit was to file a countersuit of his own against current band members. He is seeking $5 million in compensatory damages, arguing the partnership agreement requires the remaining band members to perform under another name when he left the band. He also claims that he, not the band, has exclusive ownership over Stone Temple Pilots’ trademarks.
If the band actually has a partnership agreement as described in the lawsuit, according to experts in the field, the case for current band members looks strong.
