Do you need rights to sell band merchandise?

I have a friend who wants to start selling small items (button badges, magnets, etc.) with band images on them (not his own, but actual international bands). Anybody know if this type of thing needs to be licenced or whether he will need to obtain the rights to do this?

Yes, all that is copyrighted or trademarked

When did this become freelegaladvice.com?

Be careful of where these items are sold. For example, Ebay is a place where you can get in trouble (even though plenty of people get away with enfringement) and have your bank account tapped or user account frozen.

It's pretty kosher in southeast asia. You probably don't even have to spell things right so long as it looks right enough.

The rub is making it cheap enough to compete there.
tell your "friend" good luck on his business endeavor.

This is an immediate thought but the mass sale of custom/unauthorized buttons and T shirts on Ebay is a head scratcher.

Yeah! And there are people selling DVDs of movies still in the theater on my street. I don't even want to guess what they're paying for the rights to those. I'm so confused how they can afford it. what a head scratcher!

I don't know about your street but Ebay is supposed to comply with copyright law and my "head scratcher" was tisking about how sometimes they do, sometimes they don't.

Exactly. Not only is the idea illegal, it's a shitty thing to do.

Stop stealing money from Metalica.

beautiful.

Fixed.

At least until their new album is about to be released, then you should download it for free just to piss Lars off.

just make up fake bands and you're good to go! We'll help you, here's a few suggestions:

JesusTicklers
Dink 123
Larry and His Lovers
Disemboweler
Street Fighting Cheaters
Rage Against the Essenes

I think the last one is my favorite, I'd buy a button except I'd have to make sure they weren't some wacky racist oi comedy troupe first.