Pearl Jamm is changing their name.
No, that's not a typo. Pearl Jamm is a Pearl Jam tribute band in Britain that has been around for over five years. But apparently, the original band is starting to crack down on tribute bands.
Pearl Jam sent Pearl Jamm a legal request for them to change their name, claiming the tribute band's name and merchandise too closely resembles their trademarks.
Pearl Jamm claims they were disappointed in the request, saying that Pearl Jam had previously acknowledged their name and logo years ago.
Apparently besides the closeness of the two bands' names, Pearl Jamm was also selling merchandise with the "stickman" logo on it, and the font which they use is similar to the "Alive" single which features that artwork on it.
They're not the first Pearl Jam tribute band being told to rename. Last year, Pearl Jem were forced to change their name, going with the song title Light Years.
Arguably making light of the whole situation, Pearl Jamm say they will now go by Legal Jam.
“We have always been clear that we will ‘Yield’ to Pearl Jam’s demands and equally clear that our disappointment was only ever of the timing and manner in which those demands were made,” the group wrote. “We are proud to announce our new name: ‘LEGAL JAM’ which we thought would be fitting and under which we will continue to perform the music of Pearl Jam in the most heartfelt and authentic way. We look forward to reconnecting with our own fans (and other tributes) who have been so supportive through this as well welcoming the new fans who have joined us over the last week, as soon as we are back on the road.”
Source: Rolling Stone