Fuming band Blue petition EMI Group PLC’s London AGM
Media giant EMI Group PLC had an uninvited visitor at its shareholders’ annual general meeting in London’s Intercontinental Hotel on July 18, 2002.
Matt Nicholson, brother of members Hugh and David Nicholson from 1970s band Blue, staged a protest outside their meeting while those inside heard soothing words about the year ahead of the music industry, EMI’s outlook and sought re-election of company chairman Allain Levy.
Matt, who owns The Record Label, a Richmond, Surrey-based record label for Blue’s CD remastered output in the UK and worldwide, said his campaign to stop the record company recycling his boys’ name for a mega-sensation new boyband of the same name would continue.
“Our Blue have been hijacked by another group,” said Matt. “It is our intention to pursue this claim in any and all territories whose infringement of our rights to the name Blue occurs.”
Blue served a writ on the Virgin Records label and their parent EMI on July 7, 2002 (see ejw.com exclusive story).
The Scots of the original Blue claim their sales have slumped since the “new” Blue was signed to Virgin Records and forced postponement of a greatest hits album.
That album is due for a promotional release in the next few days, under the title Blue 20 and the songs were selected online by fans! EJW.com also added its support of that interactive project.
The group released six albums after joining Robert Stigwood’s RSO records in 1973 and signing to Elton John’s Rocket Records label in 1977. The “new” Blue’s single, All Rise, reached number one in the UK charts last year.
Earlier this year Liberty X, a band signed to Sir Richard Branson’s V2 label, was forced to add an X to its name after another band claimed rights to the name Liberty.
