GUNS - one featuring Riley (which, until 2016, also included Lewis),and another featuring Guns. GUNS moniker "and any related design marks."įor much of the 21st Century, there have been two competing versions of L.A. GUNS name, logo and likeness, as well as "a declaration that Guns is the sole owner of the common law trademark rights" for the L.A. In addition to actual and punitive damages, Guns and Lewis are seeking a "permanent injunction" that restrains all of the named defendants from using the L.A. GUNS band is the original Guns version" of the group. GUNS was formed "with the intent of tricking and confusing consumers into believing that the infringing L.A.
It notes that Guns founded the band in 1983, four years before Riley joined, and that Riley did not perform on the group's 1984 debut EP and contributed to just a single track on their 1987 self-titled full-length debut.Īccording to the complaint, Guns "has been injured by Defendants' unfair competition," while he and Lewis have "suffered harm including damages and and irreparable injury to their goodwill." It also claims that Riley's L.A. GUNS name and logo, the complaint claims. In addition, Guns and Lewis claim - as Guns has done publicly in the past - that Riley has embezzled much of the group's publishing proceeds over the past two decades.ĭespite leaving the band soon after the release of 2002's "Waking The Dead" to focus on BRIDES OF DESTRUCTION (his short-lived supergroup with MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx), Guns "is the owner of common law trademark righs" for the L.A. GUNS name and logo and alleges that his usage of both has been unauthorized. It's a drag."Īt its core, Guns and Lewis's complaint calls into question Riley's claim of partial ownership of the L.A. "Everything has our names on it, trying to make it as crystal clear for people to get it. "First thing we did is we designed the badge logo," Nickels explained. GUNS from Guns and Lewis's latest collaboration. Kelly went on to say that he is "doing everything" he can to "differentiate" the Riley version of L.A. I asked him if he wanted to change the name. He's the one that's run the whole show for the last 30 years - playing every night, doing all the business every night. He just feels like he's earned it, man, and he has. The name stays with the last guy in the band, man. GUNS, and then Phil left and he took the name with him. "It was Phil and Steve, and Tracii was out. " Steve legally owns half the name," he continued. 'Cause there's nothing that we can do to stop them, so there's nothing they can do to stop us. GUNS name for his new band, Nickels said: "They're trying, but there's nothing. In addition, Guns and Lewis are seeking relief from and/or against false advertising, breach of contract and unauthorized usage of their likenesses.Īsked by Talking Metal if there is anything legally stopping Riley from using the L.A. GUNS") is creating "unfair competition" through its unauthorized usage of the L.A. GUNS (referred to in the case docket as "the infringing L.A. The complaint, which requests a trial by jury, alleges that Riley's version of L.A. GUNS that group's manager, booking agent and merchandiser and Golden Robot Records.
Joining Riley as defendants in the case are the three musicians who perform in his recently launched rival version of L.A. GUNS guitarist Tracii Guns and vocalist Phil Lewis in California District Court. This past January, Riley was sued by L.A. It rocks from the beginning, and it just keeps rocking… I feel like it's the old energy but with a fresh coat of paint on it." So that's one thing we wanted to make sure that we did was rock. There are two slow songs on it, and the rest are pretty much all rockers. Regarding how the rest of "Renegades" sounds, Kelly said: "It's definitely upbeat. In a new interview with Talking Metal, Nickels stated about "Crawl" (hear audio below): "It's a cool tune, man… It was done pretty quickly but really methodically, and I feel like it has a really good energy about it. GUNS' "classic" incarnation) and guitarist Scott Griffin (who played bass for the band from 2007 until 2009, and then again from 2011 to 2014). The drummer is joined in the group by Orlando, Florida-based guitarist/vocalist Kurt Frohlich, bassist Kelly Nickels (a member of L.A. GUNS made its live debut last May at the M3 Rock Festival. The disc's first single, "Crawl", will arrive on April 20. GUNS has set "Renegades" as the title of its debut album, due later in the year via Golden Robot Records.