Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

By THE CANADIAN PRESS, cp.org, Updated: November 4, 2009 3:38 PM The 70's band Bachman-Turner Overdrive is in court over rights to BTO name

VANCOUVER, B.C. - Canadian rocker Randy Bachman is involved in a court fight with his brother over the rights to their iconic 1970s rock group's name Bachman-Turner Overdrive.

Bachman's brother, Robin, and fellow band mate Blair Thornton have launched a lawsuit in B.C. Supreme Court claiming Randy Bachman and Fred Turner, the other member of the rock quartet, signed away their rights to the names Bachman-Turner Overdrive, BTO and any similar names.

Thornton and Robin Bachman claim Randy Bachman's company trademarked the name Bachman-Turner and Bachman-Turner Union in Canada and the United States earlier this year.

The pair claim those names could be confused with the BTO name.

Their statement of claim asks for an injunction, saying Randy Bachman and Turner are confusing the public and businesses into believing their other companies are connected with the business of Bachman-Turner Overdrive.

Bachman-Turner Overdrive's hits, such as "Taking Care of Business" and "Hey You" climbed the charts in the 1970s and Randy Bachman has had a more recent high-profile career as host of the CBC Radio show Randy Bachman's Vinyl Tap.

Well that BTO story is sort of like the situation with the Byrds ... and the guy who was first kicked out of the band by the unanimous consent of the others in 1967, David Crosby, ends up, decades later, as the sole titleholder to the Patent and Trademark Office registration of the name "Byrds"

There are not too many good stories about taking care of business on the "business side" of the music business are there ???

Since they are both named Bachman -- seems they would both have a claim to use the name. The attorneys will probably make some money on this case, while the brothers slug it out. If nobody can use the name "Overdrive" -- what do they change the band name to -- Bachman Turner Standard Drive Train or "Differential"

If I were Randy Bachman, I'd be concerned that the acronym for my new company, "BTU" might get really confusing, as it's usually understood as an abbreviation for "British thermal Unit"...is his new company of the heating and air conditioning variety?

8mileshigher wrote: what do they change the band name to -- Bachman Turner Standard Drive Train or "Differential"

Bachman Turner Distortion!

Eden.

Ah, families...

This kind of thing never surprises me, especially when I recall that three first cousins (the King, the Kaiser and the Czar) could have averted WWI if they'd been willing to talk to each other...but no, millions of people had to die because those three Klownz wouldn't sit down together. (In their defense, of course, they were rendered somewhat weakened in mind and character by all that inbreeding...)

It's a shame that the Bachman brothers, for all their millions, can't get it together to behave any better than the legions of trailer park denizens and motorcycle club members who bought their albums. The thing that really makes me laugh is the thought of a group of grown men tying up the courts to argue about who owns the rights to a 'song' (for lack of a better term) like "Hey You"...

B-b-b-b-brother...

wayang wrote:The thing that really makes me laugh is the thought of a group of grown men tying up the courts to argue about who owns the rights to a 'song' (for lack of a better term) like "Hey You"...

B-b-b-b-brother...

Hey You is a great tune, probably still generating royalties for those involved 35 years later, and BTO were an awesome band.

Others have argued over the rights to silly little ditties like 'Obla-di'. Just sayin.

Some may not realise this small fact but Randy is a world class guitar player and he is also a very competent jazz musician. His understanding of music composition and what the market appreciates is what ultimately contributed to his success as an artist.

In my opinion it would not matter who you place around Randy Bachman in support. He still managed to produce a product live and on record that resonated with a vast audience. He has sold millions of records. I agree that his body of work may not be everyones cup of tea, but he did make it to the top tier in a very tough business.

I suspect that without Randy's contributions, Chad Allen and The Expressions, The Guess Who, Brave Belt and BTO would have been just footnotes in Canadian rock history if at all.

I agree completely about Randy's musicianship. In one of the first bands I was in, we covered 'No Time' and 'Undone', really excellent, well-written tunes, and fun and challenging to play...

But 'Hey You'? That tune is just plain lowbrow ridiculous ("in my opinion", of course):



Luv that unison instrumental break towards the end...it's nearly as 'smokin' as the Heart 'Barracuda' lick! It sounds like four guys carrying an anvil up a narrow staircase. Bein' a musician may potentially be 'easier than fishin' ', but I have little interest in watching or listening to a bunch of guys fishin'...unless they're fishin' with John Lurie...or 'Gil Fisher'...

Hey Brian -- this is an interesting thread... about the business failings of the music industry and brother vrs. brother.

Maybe we can compile our collective knowledge and memories on the RRFand make a list of famous (or is that infamous) musician infighting and law suits.

Macca's famous suit to dissolve the Beatles partnership comes to mind .. but there were probably half a dozen Beatles suits and counter-suits with all that was going on with Apple etc. in the early 70s...

And John Fogerty fought for years with Fantasy Records over his song rights .... And George Harrison was found to have violated copyrights for "My Sweet Lord" just a few that come to mind.

Well the thread title certainly lends itself to such a pursuit Rich so let's just keep going and perhaps as you suggest discuss all famous lawsuits that were brought to the fore and where there was a final outcome let's see if anyone really won.

The lawyers always win...

You got that right, CJ...like the old saying goes: 'a town that's too small to support one lawyer is big enough to support two'...