Rock band Guns N’ Roses are suing an online gun store claiming trademark infringement. The store in question is called Texas Guns and Roses.
Los Angeles radio news outlet KFI reports that the band is suing for “unspecified damages” and that the gun store is “attempting to con consumers into believing that the website is associated with” GN’R. The suit alleges that the operator of the store, a Texas company with the (slightly confusing) name Jersey Village Florist, is doing business without the “approval, license, or consent” of the band.
A quick digital browse through texasgunsandroses.com will bring you to the conclusion that they sell plenty of firearms, ammo, scopes, and body armor, which can be delivered through the mail. However, Texas Guns and Roses dosen’t seem to sell roses, or flowers of any kind. KFI says the lawyers for Guns N’ Roses allege that the name of the store “purports to sell roses and other flowers as a contrivance to try and justify” using GN’R’s trademark.
Nevertheless, the attorneys for Texas Guns and Roses have a wildly different outlook on the name of the gun store. A Houston attorney representing Jersey Village Florist named David L. Clark argues, “There’s never been any confusion (between the band and the website) and [Guns N’ Roses] have no evidence of confusion.”
Clark further adds, seemingly without a hint of humor, that the website “sells metal safes for guns and flowers, and have a one-stop website and absolutely no one is confused” or thinks the store is affiliated with the band, so they “will be fighting back” as a result.
Loudwire is taking a break for a second to water the begonias in the giant metal safe in the corner. What’s the code again?
The lawsuit contends that Guns N’ Roses became aware of the store in October of 2019 and sent a cease-and-desist letter requesting the business change its name, however, Texas Guns and Roses didn’t comply. GN’R’s legal team affirms that the nature of this particular business is damaging to the band, and that they do “not want to be associated with the defendant, a firearms and weapons retailer.”
Whether Texas Guns and Roses will continue this battle in court with Gun N’ Roses remains to be seen.
The rockers are currently touring Australia and New Zealand. Earlier this week, a fan at of their concerts in Adelaide, Australia claimed that vocalist Axl Rose threw a microphone into crowd at the end of a song and it landed on her face. She stated that the mic injured her badly, giving her two black eyes. See the full complaint and a pic of her face here, and the rest of their upcoming tour dates at this location.
12 Infamous Rock + Metal Legal Battles
Queue “Winners and Losers” by Social Distortion.
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