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Legal
Sex Pistols get legal over ice cream
By CMU Editorial | Published on Thursday 15 October 2009
The Sex Pistols are threatening to sue an ice cream maker who are selling an ice cream cocktail called The Sex Pistol, and who are using the strapline ‘God Save The Cream’, often displayed over a picture of the queen so to sort of mimic the cover to the punk outfit’s ‘God Save The Queen’ single.
The company, Icecreamists, have set up a stall in Selfridges, and describe their ice cream based products as being “more Sid & Nancy than Ben & Jerry”. The Sex Pistol ice cream includes a shot of absinthe. The ‘God Save The Cream’ slogan is used on the stall as well as on ads and the company’s website. They also use a snippet of the national anthem played on an electric guitar.
According to the Guardian, lawyers representing the surviving Sex Pistols have sent a letter to Icecreamists demanding they stop using the Pistols-related strapline and imagery. They are also requesting damages to compensate the band for the “passing off and copyright infringement” they allege the ice cream firm have committed, based on the sorts of money the band could demand for an official licensing deal.
Commenting on the legal action, Icecreamists founder Matt O’Connor told reporters: “We are a bit dumbfounded that a group that made its reputation for being banned is trying to ban one of our ice creams and claim copyright over the national anthem and the Queen”.
