Rock band the Smashing Pumpkins threw a lawsuit at their former record label, Virgin.
In the suit, filed Monday in Los Angeles Superior Court, the band claims their former imprint pimped their likeness and music to Amazon and Pepsi, without their permission.
Click HERE to view the lawsuit.
Virgin was “capitalizing on the celebrity fan base and valuable name of [the Pumpkins],” the suit reads.
The band has, “worked hard for over two decades to accumulate a considerable amount of goodwill in the eyes of the public,” the suit says before going on to claim that the Smashing Pumpkins name conveys “a message of honesty, artistic integrity and alternative (sic) non-main stream culture.”
The band is suing the label for violation of the right of publicity, false designation of origin, unfair competition, false advertising, breach of contract, accounting, and injunctive relief among their complaints. They are asking for unspecified damages and legal fees.
The suit goes on to claim, that unless a court stops Virgin, they will “cause great and irreparable injury” to the Pumpkins.
Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan issued a statement about the lawsuit earlier today.
“We fought hard for the right to be in control of how our music is used, to avoid situations like this kind of crass commercialism and exploitation. Labels like EMI are no longer running the show, and we won’t be bullied by those in the ‘old’ music business who consider every artist to be easily expendable. Those days are over,” Corgan’s statement read.
A rep for Virgin records was not immediately available for comment.
The Smashing Pumpkins rose to fame in the early ’90s as part of the grunge scene, alongside bands including Nirvana and Pearl Jam.
They have released six artist albums including, most recently. 2007’s “Zeitgeist,” (Martha’s Music / Reprise) which was not released on Virgin.
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