http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/art ... 1003562207

>> Jefferson Airplane Sues Kantner, Again

March 23, 2007, 3:10 PM ET

Is this a flashback? One faction of veteran rock band Jefferson Airplane is again suing a founding member, Paul Kantner, alleging that he is using the band's name without permission.

Singer Grace Slick and Bill Thompson, former manager of Jefferson Airplane and Jefferson Starship, filed the lawsuit Tuesday in California federal court charging that Kantner is violating both trademark rights and an $80,000 legal settlement he signed in 1985.

In exchange for the money, Kantner promised never to perform as Jefferson Starship and never to use the names "Jefferson" or "Airplane" without consent from Slick, the majority shareholder in Jefferson Starship Inc., the suit said.

Kantner has been performing for years under variations on the names. He started touring in 1991 as Paul Kantner's Starship, while Mickey Thomas, another ex-Starship vocalist, has been touring under the name of Mickey Thomas' Starship. Kantner's and Airplane vocalist/co-founder Marty Balin's use of the Airplane name for a 2000 concert tour brought another lawsuit and an injunction.

Asked why Kantner hadn't been sued before now, Thompson said, "Grace and I were being Good Samaritans, I guess. Playing small fairs didn't irritate us so much."

Kantner crossed the line by making a deal earlier this year to let Microsoft Corp. use the Starship name to promote a new computer operating system, Thompson said. He said publicity for the concerts associated with the promotion included a poster with a photograph of Slick.

The suit says Kantner has cost Thompson, Slick and Jefferson Starship Inc. more than $750,000 in revenue from using a name not rightfully his. The suit seeks to confiscate his profits and stop him from performing as Jefferson Starship.

"Thompson's been suing people for years and usually he's on the losing end," Kantner said. "This time the whole pack of cards is going to be coming down." Kantner said he hadn't sold the Starship name, but let Microsoft use it in promotions for four free concerts, for which the band was paid $100,000.

"On this 40th anniversary of the Summer of Love," Kantner said, "love is going to triumph." Slick, reached at her Malibu, Calif., home, laughed and said she wouldn't discuss the case. <<

I wish the parties involved would hammer out an agreement and grow up. As long as the Sweeping Up The Spotlight: Jefferson Airplane Live at the Fillmore East 1969 title still stays on for the May 15th release date, then they can argue amongst themselves as much as they want.

Yeah man, where did all that "free'" love stuff go, huh? I remember bumping into
Kantner occasionally when I lived in S.F. - just trying to make it like the rest of us.

The "business" of rock and roll never ceases to amaze me. Kantner is a founding member of JA and the founder of JS, but he can't use the name!!! Unbelievable. I wonder how that happened.

I would assume this kind of stuff happens any time two people share the rights to a trademark (or anything else for that matter.) And, like it or not, music IS a business (one in which people seem to be cheated constantly.) I can see why musicians get a bit paranoid, thinking that somsone is trying to cheat them in some way! It sounds like Kantner's actions are in violation of a legal agreement between him and Slick. His mistake.

I know of instances where a band's manager or producer actually owns the rights to a band name, thus preventing the original bandmembers from using it, even if the entire band reunites later on.

A buddy of mine co-owned the rights to the name of a band from the 60's (which was more or less a one-hit wonder.) Neither he nor his business partner had anything to do with the original band whatsoever. They did some shows a few years ago, using the band name. My buddy said that people came up to him after the show, telling him how they had bought "his" records back in the 60s. He felt guilty about conning people, so he gave his share of the name to his partner.

Little River Band still tours, but can't use the name because a guitarist who joined the band later on took it upon himself to trademark and/or copyright the name. This is a guy who was not an original member who came along after the band's hit period in the late '70s.

LRB (I don't know what they call themselves) has three original members, yet cannot go by its given name. Bizarre!