Members of The Guess Who have settled their long dispute over the band’s name.
The band’s founding singer Burton Cummings and guitarist Randy Bachman sued fellow original members Jim Kale and Garry Peterson last October, accusing them of tricking fans into thinking Cummings and Bachman were still performing with the group, when they were actually getting a “cover band.”
Cummings and Bachman have now announced that the suit is settled, which has resulted in them acquiring the trademark for the name The Guess Who.
Cummings tells Rolling Stone he is relieved the suit is now behind them.
“There’s been a fake band out there for a long time using the real records to promote their shows, and it handcuffed me in many ways,” he says. “We’re trying to preserve the history and the legacy of The Guess Who for our fans all over the place have who have followed the real band and the real songs.”
Bachman adds, “To be able to come back together as partners and shut down the bad reputation being formed by the false advertising and fraudulent band is really good, and I look forward to what’s ahead.”
Other than the fact they have now retained the Guess Who trademark, Cummings and Bachman didn’t offer any details about the settlement.
Peterson had been the only original member of The Guess Who still performing as part of the band, albeit infrequently. In an attempt to stop his incarnation of the group, Cummings — who wrote the band’s classic hits like “American Woman” and “These Eyes” and owns the publishing for them — canceled the performing rights agreements for the songs in April. That meant no band, including Peterson’s, was allowed to play those songs live, forcing The Guess Who to cancel shows.
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