Sublime Members Not Allowed To Call Themselves Sublime

11/04/09 3:10pm

by Kate Harper (CHARTattack)

This Sublime reunion just got a little less Sublime. No, literally.

A preliminary injunction passed Tuesday (Nov. 3) in Los Angeles ruled that Bud Gaugh and Eric Wilson, the surviving members of Sublime, along with new singer Rome Ramirez, can no longer call themselves Sublime, according to the Los Angeles Times.

"The point we tried to make is that we encourage these gentlemen to go out and play," Jeremiah Reynolds, the lawyer representing the estate of late Sublime singer Brad Nowell, told the newspaper.

"We think they're great musicians. We just don't think it's appropriate to call a group that doesn't have Bradley and has a new lead singer Sublime. It's consistent with Brad's intentions that we seek to protect the name. The court agreed that Bud and Eric and the new lead singer didn't have the right to go out and call themselves Sublime."

We suggest Sublemon instead.

The Los Angeles Times reports the ruling, which was passed by judge A. Howard Matz at the U.S. District Court Of The Central District Of California, will be held until the breach-of-contract and trademark infringement case goes to trial or the band formerly known as Sublime reach a settlement with Nowell's estate.

The members of Nowell's estate have been trying to stop Gaugh, Wilson and Ramirez from performing under the Sublime moniker and were threatening legal action against the trio as of last month. They argued Nowell wanted the Sublime name protected in the event of his death and anyone using it needed the permission of Nowell's heirs, who consist of Nowell's widow Troy, son Jakob and father Jim.

Gaugh and Wilson later issued a statement that they would comply with the court's ruling.

"Our goal continues to be sharing the music and message of Sublime with all of our fans around the world," they said. "We intend to take the court's advice and work on a business solution to this issue. We hope the estate follows suit so the music of Sublime can live on and be accessible to everyone."

The trio performed as Sublime at the Smokeout Festival in California last month.