Velvet Underground and the Warhol Foundation settle suit
A famous artist, one of the best rock bands of all time and a banana walk into a lawsuit.
May 30, 2013 at 08:31 AM
3 minute read
The original version of this story was published on Law.com
A famous artist, one of the best rock bands of all time and a banana walk into a lawsuit.
What had the makings of a bad joke turned out to be a real copyright infringement suit between the Velvet Underground and the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts.
In January 2012, the punk rockers filed suit against the Warhol Foundation, claiming trademark infringement. The groundbreaking band, founded by punk rock legends Lou Reed and John Cale, says the foundation's agreement to license Warhol's banana design, which is featured on the cover of the album “The Velvet Underground & Nico,” violates its intellectual property rights. The license would allow the design to be used on products such as covers for iPhones and iPads.
Trial in the suit was set to begin July 29, but according to court filings yesterday, the parties have reach an agreement. However, they did not disclose the details of the settlement.
Read more about this story on Thomson Reuters.
For more copyright infringement stories on InsideCounsel, see:
IP: Don't have a big idea? Buy one, but be careful!
Content industries try a new strategy to combat file-sharing
5 celebrity lawsuits in the news: Raging Rihanna
5 celebrity lawsuits in the news: Batman Battle
DMCA protections do not apply to pre-1972 sound recordings, court rules
A famous artist, one of the best rock bands of all time and a banana walk into a lawsuit.
What had the makings of a bad joke turned out to be a real copyright infringement suit between the Velvet Underground and the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts.
In January 2012, the punk rockers filed suit against the Warhol Foundation, claiming trademark infringement. The groundbreaking band, founded by punk rock legends Lou Reed and John Cale, says the foundation's agreement to license Warhol's banana design, which is featured on the cover of the album “The Velvet Underground & Nico,” violates its intellectual property rights. The license would allow the design to be used on products such as covers for iPhones and iPads.
Trial in the suit was set to begin July 29, but according to court filings yesterday, the parties have reach an agreement. However, they did not disclose the details of the settlement.
Read more about this story on Thomson Reuters.
For more copyright infringement stories on InsideCounsel, see:
IP: Don't have a big idea? Buy one, but be careful!
Content industries try a new strategy to combat file-sharing
5 celebrity lawsuits in the news: Raging Rihanna
5 celebrity lawsuits in the news: Batman Battle
DMCA protections do not apply to pre-1972 sound recordings, court rules
This content has been archived. It is available through our partners, LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law.
To view this content, please continue to their sites.
Not a Lexis Subscriber?
Subscribe Now
Not a Bloomberg Law Subscriber?
Subscribe Now
NOT FOR REPRINT
© 2025 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.
You Might Like
View All
Trending Stories
- 1Uber Files RICO Suit Against Plaintiff-Side Firms Alleging Fraudulent Injury Claims
- 2The Law Firm Disrupted: Scrutinizing the Elephant More Than the Mouse
- 3Inherent Diminished Value Damages Unavailable to 3rd-Party Claimants, Court Says
- 4Pa. Defense Firm Sued by Client Over Ex-Eagles Player's $43.5M Med Mal Win
- 5Losses Mount at Morris Manning, but Departing Ex-Chair Stays Bullish About His Old Firm's Future
Who Got The Work
J. Brugh Lower of Gibbons has entered an appearance for industrial equipment supplier Devco Corporation in a pending trademark infringement lawsuit. The suit, accusing the defendant of selling knock-off Graco products, was filed Dec. 18 in New Jersey District Court by Rivkin Radler on behalf of Graco Inc. and Graco Minnesota. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Zahid N. Quraishi, is 3:24-cv-11294, Graco Inc. et al v. Devco Corporation.
Who Got The Work
Rebecca Maller-Stein and Kent A. Yalowitz of Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer have entered their appearances for Hanaco Venture Capital and its executives, Lior Prosor and David Frankel, in a pending securities lawsuit. The action, filed on Dec. 24 in New York Southern District Court by Zell, Aron & Co. on behalf of Goldeneye Advisors, accuses the defendants of negligently and fraudulently managing the plaintiff's $1 million investment. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Vernon S. Broderick, is 1:24-cv-09918, Goldeneye Advisors, LLC v. Hanaco Venture Capital, Ltd. et al.
Who Got The Work
Attorneys from A&O Shearman has stepped in as defense counsel for Toronto-Dominion Bank and other defendants in a pending securities class action. The suit, filed Dec. 11 in New York Southern District Court by Bleichmar Fonti & Auld, accuses the defendants of concealing the bank's 'pervasive' deficiencies in regards to its compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act and the quality of its anti-money laundering controls. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian, is 1:24-cv-09445, Gonzalez v. The Toronto-Dominion Bank et al.
Who Got The Work
Crown Castle International, a Pennsylvania company providing shared communications infrastructure, has turned to Luke D. Wolf of Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani to fend off a pending breach-of-contract lawsuit. The court action, filed Nov. 25 in Michigan Eastern District Court by Hooper Hathaway PC on behalf of The Town Residences LLC, accuses Crown Castle of failing to transfer approximately $30,000 in utility payments from T-Mobile in breach of a roof-top lease and assignment agreement. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Susan K. Declercq, is 2:24-cv-13131, The Town Residences LLC v. T-Mobile US, Inc. et al.
Who Got The Work
Wilfred P. Coronato and Daniel M. Schwartz of McCarter & English have stepped in as defense counsel to Electrolux Home Products Inc. in a pending product liability lawsuit. The court action, filed Nov. 26 in New York Eastern District Court by Poulos Lopiccolo PC and Nagel Rice LLP on behalf of David Stern, alleges that the defendant's refrigerators’ drawers and shelving repeatedly break and fall apart within months after purchase. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Joan M. Azrack, is 2:24-cv-08204, Stern v. Electrolux Home Products, Inc.
Featured Firms
Law Offices of Gary Martin Hays & Associates, P.C.
(470) 294-1674
Law Offices of Mark E. Salomone
(857) 444-6468
Smith & Hassler
(713) 739-1250
