Years of wrangling over management of the Ramones’ property escalated this month when Joey Ramone’s brother sued Johnny Ramone’s widow, accusing her of trademark infringement, trademark dilution and breach of contract.
Joey Ramone’s brother, Mickey Lee, and Johnny Ramone’s widow, Linda Cummings-Ramone, every management 50 p.c of Ramones Productions, the corporate that holds the rights to the punk band’s mental property. Joey Ramone, their lead singer, died in 2001and Johnny Ramone, the guitarist, in 2004.
Within the lawsuit, Mickey Lee, whose authorized identify is Mitchell Hyman, accuses Ms Cummings-Ramone of misappropriating the group’s legacy – usually in a extremely private manner – and utilizing its mental property “for her personal glory and self-importance”.
Ms. Cummings-Ramone had sued Mr. Hyman in January, accusing him of wrongfully growing a Ramones biopic with out her approval. This case is pending.
Representatives for Mr. Hyman and Ms. Cummings-Ramone didn’t reply to a request for remark.
Alan Fish, a veteran mental property litigator, mentioned Ms. Cummings-Ramone’s possession stake in Ramones Productions didn’t essentially give her management over its mental belongings.
“Simply because she owns half of the enterprise does not imply she has a limiteless proper to make use of its mental property,” he mentioned. “That every of the 2 shareholders has totally different views is a part of the problem they’ve created for themselves as 50 p.c homeowners.”
The rivalry between Mr. Hyman and Ms. Cummings-Ramone in some methods mirrors the famously frosty relationship between Joey and Johnny Ramone. Earlier than she began relationship Johnny Ramone, Ms. Cummings-Ramone, a philanthropist and mannequin, was in a long-term relationship with Joey Ramone.
The standoff between Mr. Hyman and Ms. Cummings-Ramone reached a tipping level in 2018 when he took her to arbitration over using the Ramones’ emblems in an annual Johnny Ramone tribute occasion. Mr. Hyman additionally objected to Ms. Cummings-Ramone’s adoption of the identify “Linda Ramone,” which he mentioned misrepresented her because the “guardian of the legacy” of the group. (The final identify “Ramone” was a pseudonym, not the official identify of any band member.)
When the arbitrator dominated on these disputes, he additionally expressed frustration with their frequent fights.
“Mickey Hyman and Linda Cummings-Ramone have an virtually sacred mission to nurture the band’s artistic work, shield their iconic model and educate new followers to additional their legend,” he wrote. “As an alternative, the events allowed their private egos and animosity towards one another to intervene with their joint obligations.”
