23 January 2002
Liberty aka 'The Flopstars', have been ordered to give up their name and have six weeks to find a new one.
The band who are made up from Popstars runners-up were yesterday ordered by a judge to change their identity after he ruled the name belongs to a Nineties funk band.
The original bands major claim to fame is that they supported Wet Wet Wet at Wembley Arena back in the Nineties and released a few singles during the same period.
The group are very upset as they had become quite attached to the name, they told daily rag 'The Sun', "We are very upset. We thought we had a good case as the other Liberty hadn't released a record in years. We'll change the name. The sound will be the same." They added: "Maybe we'll become The band Formery Known As Liberty."
The group were launched last year personally by Richard Branson in a �1.6million, three album deal with his V2 label. A businessman with his pedigree should hace checked out such basic details as the name!
David Lyall a member of the original Liberty was in court with band mate Kevin Sutherland, he said afterwards, "All we wanted was the right to use our name exclusively."
Branson will have to fork out �200,000 in costs after fighting the claim, and it might not end there. Lawyers are assessing a possible damage claim for the original band, who are currently unsigned and could probably do with a few bob.
V2 will also have to change all artwork, promotional material and the group's website within the six week deadline the court has imposed on them.
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