NEW YORK (VIP-News) — As lineups shift, lawsuits over band name rights — from the Beach Boys to Live — are as common as reunion tours, but the J. Geils Band's current dispute breaks new ground for confusion.
John Geils, the group's namesake and founder, has filed a lawsuit against members Richard Salwitz, Danny Klein, Peter Wolf and Seth Justman over a planned tour under the band name that would fail to include him, according to Reuters.
The lawsuit reportedly claims the quartet "planned and conspired" to hit the road without Geils himself — and he wants the full rights to the trademark.
The Geils-less group's 11-date tour, now in question, is scheduled to kick off Aug. 25.
"They do not have the right to take his name and use it, and try to deny him the right to use his own name," Geils' attorney, Charles Grimes, told Reuters.
The other members' lawyer, James Weinberger, said Geils' claims will be addressed "at the appropriate time."
According to Billboard.
