My band Rockatansky will be sued (by US people)

[Violetta]

A dude wrote this in our gestbook:

Dudes, lose the name!!!! We've been Rockatansky for over 7 years. My lawyer, Matthew Steckler, Esq (206)370-0869 (US) will be contacting you shortly. We rock!!!

wtf? Who is this joke? How does copyrights on band names work? I have never thought about it before... The name is from the Mad Max movies. His real name was Max Rockatansky.

[Nylz]

Don't take it too seriously

[gangbangjoe]

looks bad for you....

[JoeMeca]

yea i would call that number and see what happens

[Violetta]

lol.. thats two different answers!

[Ace-wtf]

sounds like bull
a friend i built a site for got a letter from a company
saying that they will sue him cause his site is number 3
on their "as if" brand name, i told him to tell them to fuck off.
and btw i did some comsultimg for that company and i know the brass there.

[Violetta]

yea i would call that number and see what happens

yeah.. but I dont have access to a phone right now...

[J-$]

doesn't looks like he's kidding, else he would've focused on making you guys change your mind. sucks for you, I guess you should've registered the name :S sorry dude

[xclusive]

Talk with them and see how it works out good luck

[jacked]

that sucks man, call the # and see what they've got to say or go get yourself a lawyer and have him contact them for you that would probably be the best way to go about things

[Violetta]

doesn't looks like he's kidding, else he would've focused on making you guys change your mind. sucks for you, I guess you should've registered the name :S sorry dude

Hmm... we are based in Norway. Does that count for something?

[crockett]

Hmm... we are based in Norway. Does that count for something?

yes you can still bang sheep over there..

[MattO]

With bands, usually the first ones who put out an actual release get the name.
Often a band will add their country to their band name when there is a conflict, so you could be NO Rockatansky, or Rockatansky NO.
Dinosaur Jr. got the Jr. from a conflict with the band Dinosaur, which was their original name.

[DBS.US]

Band names are trademaked songs get a copyright.

[J-$]

Well depending on what your plans for the future are. If you plan on going mainstream and think it is achievable, perhaps it will eventually be a problem so you can change it now and get accustomed. As far as being based in Norway, my legal advice isn't exaclty professional nor accurate, but its def worth checking out my man! Good luck!

[ElvisManson]

A dude wrote this in our gestbook:

Dudes, lose the name!!!! We've been Rockatansky for over 7 years. My lawyer, Matthew Steckler, Esq (206)370-0869 (US) will be contacting you shortly. We rock!!!

wtf? Who is this joke? How does copyrights on band names work? I have never thought about it before... The name is from the Mad Max movies. His real name was Max Rockatansky.

I called the phone number and got VM for Matt Steckler at BridStep Technology

Don't know if he is a lawyer.

The have offices in Oslo Norway and Seattle Washington.


You do need to copyright your name. Friends of mine had a band named "otis". They got sued by Otis Elevators and changed their name to "sons of Otis"

The band Bush had a similar issue here in Toronto years ago. A Canadian band form the 70's had a Canadian copyright on the name "Bush". The UK band "Bush" had to play under a different name here until they could work out the details. They ended up making a donation to a charity and the old Bush gave up the rights to the name.

[DBS.US]

This is a cool website/radio show http://www.barelylegalradio.com/

[DBS.US]

Links to help artists, authors and musicians determine the right kinds of protection for their work http://www.uspto.gov/main/profiles/musicart.htm

[ElvisManson]

Links to help artists, authors and musicians determine the right kinds of protection for their work http://www.uspto.gov/main/profiles/musicart.htm

those links are great!!!

Muchos gracias.

[chodadog]

I just had a look on google. Typed in Rockatansky band. I have gone through a fair few pages and haven't seen a single reference to a band named Rockatansky other than yours. I figure you're pretty safe. Probably just some 13 year old idiot. Wait until you hear from an actual lawyer before you start worrying.

And besides, if it really does cause problems, you could just change your name to MM Rockatansky.

[DBS.US]

A trademark is a word, phrase, symbol or design, or a combination of words, phrases, symbols or designs, that identifies and distinguishes the source of the goods of one party from those of others.

A service mark is the same as a trademark, except that it identifies and distinguishes the source of a service rather than a product.

A copyright protects an original artistic or literary work.

A patent protects an invention.

[DBS.US]

Wait until you hear from an actual lawyer then tell him to fuck some sheep.

[Dugmor]

Hmm... we are based in Norway. Does that count for something?

Send him the book....... The Lords of Chaos !

[Violetta]

thanks for all the replies! This will be interesting! At least if they have a office in Oslo! We have released two albums her in norway, and they are both registered with TONO and NBC (Nordisk Copyright Bureau). So I guess we can keep the name here in Norway! But if we want to take over the world we can change the name to Rockatansji

Like Turbonegro (if you have heard of them). In Norway their name are Turboneger (meaning the same)

[Violetta]

Thanks for calling btw ElvisManson!

[nico-t]

dont sweat dude, people are too scared of legal threats these days... just dont give a fuck about it and keep doing what youre doing.

[xNetworx]

Until you get a c&d , I wouldn't even worry

[Violetta]

dont sweat dude, people are too scared of legal threats these days... just dont give a fuck about it and keep doing what youre doing.

Agree. We are a ROCK band... Scandals should be our breakfast!

[Jensen]

if they were serious they wouldn't have written in your guestbook.. so don't worry..

[Maxy]

Links to help artists, authors and musicians determine the right kinds of protection for their work http://www.uspto.gov/main/profiles/musicart.htm

Thanks

[Adultnet]

if they were serious they wouldn't have written in your guestbook.. so don't worry..

yep ..

[chazer]

call yourselfs the Rockastansy Band... the name sucks anyways. Unless you already have put out records and toured under that name just change it.

[Jensen]

call yourselfs the Rockastansy Band... the name sucks anyways. Unless you already have put out records and toured under that name just change it.

you didn't even get it right..

[chazer]

you didn't even get it right..

eww, you pwned me. I was close enough.

[ss821z]

Next time I need legal advice, I'll try GFY too and get "top notch" advice from people who don't know the difference between copyright and trademark.

[Morgan]

counter sue

[chodadog]

thanks for all the replies! This will be interesting! At least if they have a office in Oslo! We have released two albums her in norway, and they are both registered with TONO and NBC (Nordisk Copyright Bureau). So I guess we can keep the name here in Norway! But if we want to take over the world we can change the name to Rockatansji

Like Turbonegro (if you have heard of them). In Norway their name are Turboneger (meaning the same)

Turbonegro must be destroyed. ;)

[studiocritic]

it's not a copyright issue, it's a trademark issue. if you're both in the same industry, the patent office (who controls trademarks, too) will likely award the trademark to whoever was using it first. assuming this guy hasn't already filed.

if you go here http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/gate.exe?...ate=79tc2k.1.1 and search for rockatansky nothing comes up. this thing is confusing as fuck though. but i'd say he hasn't filed. maybe you can file quick style and send HIM a cease & desist

good luck bro

[LiveDose]

if they were serious they wouldn't have written in your guestbook.. so don't worry..

Exactly, plus the 'We Rock!' part is idiotic. It is probably some moron from this board...

[who]

The 'We rock!!!' on the end of their message leads me to believe that they suck.