Legal Use Of The Word 'motown'

[Guest lofthope]

Ahead of 'Motown the Musical' transferring to London's West End, Universal Music Group (through solicitors Lane IP) is threatening legal action against Motown tribute acts, reports The Stage (UK theatre industry trade publication).

 

One such act 'Motown Magic' were told they must stop using the name, transfer their web domain name to Universal and pay Universal's legal costs claiming that by operating in the same space there is a commercial conflict. They would, however, be allowed to use the phrase 'formerly known as Motown Magic' on advertising material, but only for 8 weeks.

 

Apparently Motown Magic have been around 5 years and Universal never saw a tribute act which helps popularise their catalogue as a problem before. It seems Berry Gordy's vanity project may have influenced things a bit.

 

I hope that none of you plagiarists has ever dared to call your local promotion a 'Soul and Motown Night'....tut, tut, despicable. Soul and Motortown in future perhaps?

 

 

Edited November 19, 2014 by lofthope

[paultp]

Universal do this now and again and are fully within their rights as "Motown" as a trademark is owned by them. Usually the complaint is that they don't do it often enough e.g. chasing down bootlegs, dodgy t-shirt sellers etc.

[Dave Rimmer]

 

I hope that none of you plagiarists has ever dared to call your local promotion a 'Soul and Motown Night'....tut, tut, despicable. Soul and Motortown in future perhaps?

 

Nope, couldn't use "Soul" either, because that is also trademarked. You'd have to use 'Music Of Black Origin'....Ah ! bit of a problem there as well.

[Steve S 60]

Never mind chasing down tribute acts. I think Universal need to learn how to produce vinyl records properly, as they're giving the brand a bad name after the Motown 7s debacle.