UK boyband have apparently landed themselves in hot soup recently and it’s not because of their song the “Directioners” (read: One Direction fans) love:
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As much as we adore the X-Factor phenomenons’ music, the band might soon have to start searching for a new name after being slapped with a lawsuit by, wait for it, One Direction. Are you confused yet?
Here’s the deal:
Formed in 2009, a California-based One Direction, which is fronted by singer/pianist Sean O’Leary, claimed that the UK One Direction’s success has affected them. The lawsuit that the “What Makes You Beautiful” every-teenage-girl’s-dream band was handed with clearly states that the case of the stolen name was causing “substantial confusion and substantial damage” to the US band.
And thus, the US One Direction has asked for a court order that will inadvertently force the Brits to change their name. What more backed by the fact that they’ve actually beat the Brits in the race to the US Patent and Trademark Office, filing a trademark application for “One Direction” in February 2011. Long before their UK counterparts.
Though it sounds a bit amusing, this is what is expected to be a multi-million dollar lawsuit as lawyers for the Californian band are already busy seeking an injunction that would pull the plug on Cowell’s Syco Entertainment and Sony Music from using the name One Direction in promotional materials.
Possibly forever.
The US One Direction have also made it clear that they also want a share of the profits earned by the chart-topping British boys. The American band is demanding more than $1 million in damages.
UK One Direction have yet to respond due to the fact that they are currently in the Land of Down Under, being swamped by screaming and squealing Australian fans.
We don’t know about you but we’re already confused. One Direction or not, where do we go from here?
