- Sunday 30 March 2014
- My Account
- Logout
- Register
- Login
Lawsuit of the Rings: Film company block reunion of 70s rock band Bilbo Baggins
Band named after the JRR Tolkien character attempted to reform
Will the real Bilbo Baggins please stand up? Not a trick question but a pressing legal one after a defunct 1970s rock band named after the JRR Tolkien fantasy fiction character attempted to reform.
The row pitted the mighty American film company behind the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movies against a little-known Scottish band whose main claim to fame was that they once sang backing vocals for the Bay City Rollers.
It follows similar recent legal disputes between the Saul Zaentz Company (SZC), which holds the rights to Tolkien’s novels and their characters, and two obscure UK establishments: Birmingham’s Hungry Hobbit café and The Hobbit pub in Southampton.
The musicians’ dreams of a reunion have ended in disaster at the Intellectual Property Office after a judge decided to shut down an appeal. Bilbo Baggins’ former manager Henry Spurway was told that calling their revived act “Henry Spurway’s Bilbo Baggins” did not differentiate it clearly enough from the famous hobbit Bilbo.
The band, which once made it to No 42 in the charts, in 1976
Mr Spurway’s attempt to register the band’s name fell flat when SZC filed an objection which was later upheld. Adjudicators reviewing the case had to decide whether punters would connect the band’s name with the hobbit character played by Martin Freeman in the recent film. The adjudicator, Geoffrey Hobbs QC, said there was no reason to send the case to a fresh hearing in the Scottish courts.
The ruling brings the band’s history to an ignominious end. They toured in the 1970s, stirring minor interest with lost songs “Saturday Night” and “She’s Gonna Win”, which peaked at 42 in the charts.
“Everyone thought Bilbo Baggins were going to be the next thing,” said lead singer Colin Chisholm, after he resurfaced as a contestant on a recent series of the BBC show The Voice. “It just didn’t happen, even though we had a huge live following.”
Tolkien sold the rights to his characters to United Artists in 1969 for £100,000; seven years later they were sold on to SZC, which has shown itself quick to bring cases where it feels its material has been infringed. Last year, however, it failed to stop the London-based marketing firm Ocean Outdoors from offering advertising space on two towers on either side of a motorway despite SZC’s claim that this was similar to the title of one of the volumes of the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Latest installment is full of brash Mel Brooks-style humour
Actor and writer said comedy was 'particularly bad'
Gallery urged to return painting
Series will air at 2am in UK
Benjamin Till on his musical nuptials
Actor will play Winston Churchill in new biopic
Review This Greek goddess never burns out or melts down
Arts & Ents blogs
Travel Shop
-
Noah the environmentalist: Adventure epic is 'the least biblical biblical film ever made', says director Darren Aronofsky
-
How Game of Thrones conquered all: The success of the fantasy phenomenon, from A to Z
-
The best movies on Netflix: 32 films that will end your endless scrolling
-
Game of Thrones star Thomas Brodie-Sangster admits he would like to play the show’s most-hated character
-
CGI Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles look creepy as hell in first teaser trailer
-
Ukriane crisis: Russia is a regional power – but US is most powerful nation in the world, Obama warns Putin
-
Nigel Farage and Nick Clegg clash over immigration during live debate, but neither can land the killer blow
-
Nigel Farage: My live debate with Nick Clegg is upon us. Does he realise what is about to hit him?
-
The In/Out Question: Why Britain should stay in the EU
-
Number of Muslims in prison doubles in decade to 12,000
-
The US state that’s decided it's alright to bring your gun to church
- 1 Marinating meat in beer before putting on the BBQ can half cancer causing chemicals
- 2 Gwyneth Paltrow: This working mother’s open letter to the actress, who claims being a film star is harder than working a 9-5, is amazing
- 3 Pope Francis 'stuns' congregation by confessing to an 'ordinary' priest
- 4 'Missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 plane found in Bermuda Triangle!' hackers profiting from viral Facebook links
- 5 Road rage revenge: Impatient man gives fellow driver the middle finger, gets instant dose of karma
Cumbria: The place to be
Win the ultimate photograph break worth over £2500 in the Lake District, Cumbria.
Summer Austria
In the summer, Austria casts off its iconic icy appearance and turns gorgeously green – its mountains and valleys becoming the perfect playground for sunny adventures.
When was the last time you had a first time?
Find out how a long weekend in York can will stay with you forever.
Coats for inbetweeners
In November you coveted the soft teddy down of your winter coat – the affair is over. Now you’re trading up: switching cosy coat for spring jacket.
This is Kenya….the coast
Kenya’s 490 kilometre Indian Ocean coastline is ideal for a luxury beach holiday. It offers a striking combination of Swahili culture, superb palm lined beaches and colourful marine life.
Earth Hour
Go beyond the hour. Use your power to fund an Earth Hour Blue project for people and the planet today.
Beautiful Bergen, the gateway to the Norwegian fjords
Bergen - a city set amid spectacular scenery which is easily accessible for a fascinating weekend escape.
Far away - and yet close to home - in the beauty of the Norwegian fjords
Only two hours from Britain amid the dramatic scenery and lovely fjords of western Norway, find out more about the Norwegian fjords...
London - Denver: two return flights to be won
We've teamed up with Icelandair to give readers the chance to win two return flights from London to Denver to visit this stonishing city.
What can a credit check offer you as a consumer?
Running a credit check is easy and the results can give you a great insight into your financial position through the eyes of potential lenders.
Enter the latest Independent competitions
Win anything from gadgets to five-star holidays on our competitions and offers page.
Business videos from commercial thought leaders
Watch the best in the business world give their insights into the world of business.