Led Zeppelin’s lawyers have been trying since last year to trademark the phrase “The Led Zeppelin Experience” in the US and Europe. The band is so intent on using that phrase that Jason Bonham was forced to change the name of his band shortly after Led Zeppelin applied for the trademark.
On November 2, 2017, lawyers acting for Led Zeppelin filed a trademark application in the US for the phrase “The Led Zeppelin Experience.” They wanted to own the trademark on that phrase for 10 years.
The application intends to trademark the phrase for two purposes: “Clothing, headgear and footwear,” and “Entertainment services; musical entertainment services; publication of printed matter; production, publication and distribution of audio and visual material.”
However, the US Patent and Trademark Office informed Led Zeppelin’s lawyers on March 10 that the trademark application was provisionally refused in full. That’s because it’s too similar to the trademarks that Led Zeppelin already owns for the band’s name.
The band has also trademarked the phrase in the UK for the same purposes, and is awaiting a European trademark.
Jason Bonham had to change his band name because of Led Zeppelin’s plans for the phrase
It looks like Led Zeppelin is serious about using the phrase “The Led Zeppelin Experience.” Jason Bonham, the son of Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham, revealed in February that he has been forced to change the name of his band because Led Zeppelin wants to use “The Led Zeppelin Experience” for a future project.
Bonham was interviewed by KSHE 95 which asked him why he changed his band name from “Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Experience” to “Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Evening.”
The reason, Bonham said, was because of Led Zeppelin:
“They have plans for the terminology, Led Zeppelin Experience. And I was like, ‘Um, okay, but I need to keep the logo, JBLZE.’ One, I have the tag on my car, and two, I have a huge backdrop that I paid for last year. For me it’s about the music. So the name of it — I just wanted to keep the logo. So I said, ‘I got it. Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Evening.’ I don’t know what they have planned, but I said, ‘Okay, I will clear the way so they can do what they wish.'”
Bonham used the band name “Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Experience” since forming his band in 2010, but changed it in December for his upcoming tour with Foreigner and Whitesnake.
I love them. I think they belong together ( Jason and led zep) and deserve to call themselves anything they want. They are all Led Zeppelin’s to me. I understand though.
Jason Bonham should know soon what they have planned because he was a member in 2008 when they recorded 80 songs with Miles Kennedy, Chis Cornell, and Sten Tyler all on various tracks. They and everyone else can deny and change the story after the fact but that is what happened. And I will continue to flap my tongue about it.
Oh dear…I wonder if this is going to be similar to the ABBA event announced recently, ie. holographic/ avatars of the band on stage! Oh no, please not…
Surely Robert would never agree to this??