Supernova vs. Supernova: Band Files Lawsuit Against CBS

The punk band Supernova has filed a lawsuit against the Reality TV show Rock Star: Supernova claiming they have the rights to the name. 

The complaint was filed June 27 in U.S. District Court and claims unfair competition and trademark infringement. The suit seeks to bar the show and its participants from using the Supernova name, reports AP. 

Brooke Burke and Dave Navarro (Image: CBS)

It is also asks for compensatory and punitive damages.

"Our clients believe they have the superior right on the mark Supernova," the band's attorney, John Mizhir, told The Associated Press Tuesday, adding that the band "has a long-standing common-law trademark right to the mark."

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According to Wikipedia the band was formed in 1989. 

They hail from Costa Mesa, California. The founding (band members were) Dave Collins, Art Mitchell and Hayden Thais (replaced in 1994 by Jodey Lawrence) according to the entry.

According to the online encyclopedia, they've played the original Vans Warped Tour in summer of 1995, again in 1999, and have toured with The Buzzcocks, The Aquabats, The Presidents of the United States of America and several other top acts.

They recorded the song "Chewbacca" for Kevin Smith's indie classic "Clerks."

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The Canadian Press reports that Mitchell,  Collins and Lawrence are suing almost everyone involved in the reality series to block the use of the Supernova name.

Supernova wants Rock Star’s producers to "publish clarifying statements” that the show is not affiliated with the band. 

It is also asking the court to order that all "labels, signs, prints, packages, wrappers, containers, advertisements, electronic media and other materials bearing the Supernova mark” be destroyed.

"Our clients believe they have the superior right on the mark Supernova," the band's attorney, John Mizhir, told the Associated Press.

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The CBS show is a quasi American idol spin off where rockers Tommy Lee, Gilby Clarke and Jason Newsted judge hard rock singers, both male and female, as they seek a lead singer for a new band called - what else - Supernova.

The show is hosted by model Brooke Burke and rocker Dave Navarro.

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On the web:  http://rockstar.msn.com/

--Josh Hart