Word to the wise: do not come in-between Guns N’ Roses and their money.
Axl Rose and the gang have their sights set on a Texas gun store they are accusing of “wholesale appropriation” of the band’s intellectual property and identity.
The lawsuit was first obtained by City News Service (and reported by Ultimate Classic Rock), and alleges that Texas Guns and Roses “selected and adopted defendant’s marks for the purpose of confusing consumers into believing that it was connected or associated with, or licensed by, GNR.”
“There’s never been any confusion (between the band and the website) and they have no evidence of confusion,” attorney David L. Clark says, representing the defendents Jersey Village Florist.
“This is an attempt to run up costs and burn us out,” he said. “Our client sells metal safes for guns and flowers, and have a one-stop website and absolutely no one is confused. Nobody thinks we’re the band or there is some affiliation. We will be fighting back.”
“This is particularly damaging to GNR given the nature of defendant’s business,” the lawsuit contends. “GNR, quite reasonably, does not want to be associated with defendant, a firearms and weapons retailer. Furthermore, defendant espouses political views related to the regulation and control of firearms and weapons on the website that may be polarizing to many U.S. consumers.”
The suit seeks unspecified damages and a court order prohibiting the use of the website name. GNR’s general partners are listed as Axl Rose, Saul “Slash” Hudson and Michael “Duff” McKagan.
This isn’t the first time Axl Rose and company have gone after those they feel are stealing their intellectual property. It’s hard to forget when Rose decided to literally leap into the crowd to fight an audience member after it appeared as though they were bootlegging the show.
Take a trip back to that moment here. Do you think GNR is in the right with this suit?
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