News > Music > Edit: SG Lennon is Being Sued by Yoko Ono???

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TUESDAY FEBRUARY 12 2008 5:00 PM

Edit: SG Lennon is Being Sued by Yoko Ono???

Submitted by Fatality

Edited by Fatality

Tags: SG, Suicide Girl, Lawsuit, Yoko Ono

On February 12th, I wrote the following news story:

"Ive never been a big fan of Yoko Ono. Though had you previously asked me to justify this opinion, I would have been at a loss. It was a view bequeathed to me by my father and his frequent voicing of what bitch he thought she was. But now Ive been given some concrete evidence: she is suing Lennon.

Yes, she is suing Lennon, Lennon Murphy, the SG model and musician. Lennon is her real name, but Yoko Ono seems to think that the performer is intentionally exploiting the name and confusing people by using it. Lennon was, in fact, named after John Lennon and has been performing with that name since the age of 14.

Lennon is my first name by birth and I am regularly asked if I was named after the Beatle, having always replied no. My mother named me after "John Lennon that wrote songs, painted, and baked bread with his son". She named me for the man, not the pop star.

Lennon claims that Yoko Ono has been aware of her name and its usage since 2000, when a lawyer at Arista Records presented the widow with the information. In 2003, Lennon trademarked the name with the United States Patent and Trademark office, and everything seemed to be copasetic. Fast-forward to now two days before the statute of limitations on the trademark was to expire the same lawyer has brought forward a suit against Lennon Murphy for use of the name. She is being accused of misleadingly representing herself, causing confusing in the marketplace, and tarnishing John Lennons name.

Lennon has posted an open letter on her website and Myspace page, from which the following is an excerpt:

I'm not sure what confusion I could be causing since I don't have the $50,000 to hire a lawyer and fight this. If people were confusing me with John Lennon and accidently buying my records I should have more than enough money to live my life and hire a lawyer? I wish that was the case. I haven't worked since Oct. 2007, so I live on just enough to get through the months until I get back on the road. I have no idea what I'm going to do yet in this situation, and I'm stressed, angry, and scared.

This is my life. I have no respect for the name Murphy. It was my father's name we will leave it at that. I have represented myself as Lennon because this is my name. That was the name that meant so much to my mother. That's who I am. I'm pissed and hurt that someone in Yoko's position has nothing better to do than fuck with my life, and collect the $25,000,000 a year that the John Lennon estate brings in. Yes, this is a real number or close enough to it. This is how I look at it. With that kind of income she probably pays more in taxes every year the you or I will make in our whole life time. So what do I have that can be of such value to her after 8 years. I don't want to lose my name all because someone is bored in their life of luxury.

I don't know what's going to be the outcome, but I just wanted everyone to know what is going on. I never falsified my intentions, I never used John Lennon for my benefit, and I never took one cent out of Yoko's bank account. I play music, my name is Lennon, and the most heartbreaking thing out of this whole situation is the insult it gives to my late mother and who she believed in; on top of demeaning the man that John Lennon was and will always be.

And I agree. So heres to supporting Lennon, a fellow Suicide Girl, against the incomprehensible greed of Yoko Ono. Yoko Ono, the woman whose February 2007 remix album is entitled Yes, Im a Witch.

And, for the record, we're not alone - even Julian Lennon has voiced his support.

Fatality is just glad that Lennon is the SG and not Yoko Ono. *shudder*"

Since then, however, forthcoming information has necessitated a reworking of that story. On February 14, a reaction letter from Yoko Ono was distributed. In this letter, Yoko claims that the previous claims of a suit against Lennon Murphy are untrue.

A musician named Lennon Murphy is claiming that Yoko Ono has sued her and that Yoko is seeking to stop Lennon Murphy from performing under her name, Lennon Murphy. Both of these claims are untrue.

Several years ago, Lennon Murphy sought Yoko's permission to do her performances under her name, Lennon Murphy. Yoko, of course, did not object to her request. Subsequently, without Yoko's knowledge, Lennon Murphy filed an application in the United States trademark Office requesting the exclusive right to utilize the name "Lennon" for musical performances. Yoko's attorneys asked Lennon Murphy's attorneys and manager to withdraw her registration of exclusivity to the name LENNON for the trademark. Yoko also offered to cover all costs Lennon Murphy had incurred in filing for the trademark. But Lennon Murphy went ahead to register.

Yoko did not sue Lennon Murphy, but sought to stop her from getting the exclusive right to the name Lennon for performance purposes. For that, Yoko's attorneys, simply notified the Trademark office that Yoko did not believe it was fair that Ms. Murphy be granted the exclusive right to the "Lennon" trademark in relation to musical and entertainment services. As you can see, this is a very important issue for Yoko and the Lennon family.

Yoko says: "I am really hurt if people thought that I told a young artist to not use her own name in her performances and had sought to sue her. I did no such thing. I hope this allegation will be cleared.

It will be interesting to see how this all pans out as the feverish frenzy from the previous reporting simmers down...we can disentangle the relative distribution between misunderstanding, publicity intents, poor journalism, fulfillment of expectations and desires, misapprehension of the law, and all of the other factors that can combine to create such a headline. The truth seems a bit obscured right now, but if any additional news or commentaries from the two women arise, I will be sure to further update the story.

Fatality has edited.

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Comments

temple_loren

Reading, PA

August 2010

FEB 13, 2008 10:41 AM

Remember New Wave-pioneer Thomas Dolby got sued by Dolby Laboratories because abuse their "name" which is his nickname which the courts dismissed it.

I lost my respect for Yoko Ono because she's acting like a bitter widow who thinks she deserves more out of the Beatles catalog. I wonder why Julian Lennon doesn't get along with his "stepmother" and hope he defends Lennon Murphy with her case. Like she says, that was was given to her at birth and she never had any diffulties during her career.

In my opinion, Yoko was the reasons she broke up The Beatles, not Linda.

SocietysPliers

Ocala, FL

October 2004

FEB 13, 2008 10:52 AM

Shalome said:
Lennon the singer trademarked Lennon in 2003. <snip snip> What's at stake here is if Lennon can trademark the name "Lennon," call her band "Lennon" and continue to perform and market music with that name.

That makes a bit more sense.

Still, it's a bit of a grey area, I would think; how Lennon trademarking her first name so another band can't use it as their name. I would be surprised if Cher didn't have hers trademarked.

I just don't know. But it doesn't seem to me Yoko should have any say in someone trademarking her first name as a band name.

Rizzo

SUICIDEGIRL

Illinois, USA

FEB 13, 2008 10:58 AM

this is just further proof that yoko ono is a cunt

Churtch

SUICIDEGIRL

Iowa, USA

FEB 13, 2008 11:00 AM

This is completely ridiculous, the US court systems are used for frivolous lawsuits constantly. Yoko needs to find something better to do with her time

hk85

Guerneville, CA

October 2007

FEB 13, 2008 11:06 AM

SocietysPliers said:

Prince couldn't use his real name legally, after his split with Sony(?) even though that his his birth name.

Kharisma

HOPEFUL

USA

FEB 13, 2008 11:09 AM

next thing you know she's going to be suing Ozzy for wearing the same fugly glasses that she is trying to pull off in that picture.

Shal

Los Angeles, CA

October 2002

FEB 13, 2008 11:12 AM

SocietysPliers said:

Lennon is not the first person to make that name famous, and is certainly not the most famous musician to use that name.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trademark_dilution