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Rock Guitar Icon Files Trademark Infringement Lawsuit Against Live Nation.

NEW YORK, December 16, 2008 -- Heavy metal pioneer guitarist Tony Iommi filed a lawsuit claiming trademark infringement by Live Nation.

In the complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, Iommi claims Live Nation infringed the registered mark BLACK SABBATH by selling merchandising bearing his likeness and variations of the band's name.

Live Nation acquired a company named Signatures Network Inc. in 2007 for $79 million. Signatures Network Inc. had a licensing agreement allowing merchandising of various items, such as clothing, jewelry, posters and fashion accessories. When Live Nation acquired Signatures Network Inc.'s contractual rights and named Signatures' Chief Executive Officer Dell Furano to head Live Nation's merchandising division.

Iommi claims that the licensing agreement with Signatures Network Inc. expired in 2006 yet continued to sell Black Sabbath merchandise. Iommi further alleges that Live Nation, acting thought its subsidiary, even continued to sell merchandising bearing the Black Sabbath trademark after sending a cease and desist letter in April 2008.

Iommi was an original member of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath, founded in 1968 with singer Ozzy Osbourne, bassist Geezer Butler, and drummer Bill Ward. Iommi gained exclusive ownership rights to the trademark as the original members of the band.

Iommi has registered the trademark BLACK SABBATH in the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union.

Per his complaint, Iommi is seeking damages in the amount of three times Live Nation's profits from the sales of the offending merchandise and an injunction to prevent futher sales.

Live Nation is the nation's largest concert promoter and engages in merchandising for such music acts as The Beatles, Bruce Springsteen, U2, and Barbara Steisand.