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JULY 1, 2006 at 10:50 AM
Posted by CHEESER
Source: National Post via Moreover
Winnipeg, Canada-based folk band Wyrd Sisters has been ordered
to pay Warner Bros. $140,000 in legal costs stemming from the group's 2005 lawsuit aimed at preventing the release of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire because the movie contained a pretend band of similar name.
HPANA has learned through a confidential source involved with the case that Jarvis Cocker (the real-life musician who was the lead singer of Potter's "Weird Sisters") desired to release an entire album of songs with different collaborators, including Franz Ferdinand, Jack White and Iggy Pop. (The band Franz Ferdinand was once rumored to be the movie-version Weird Sisters.)
Cocker also planned music videos and singles, all of which had to be pulled due to the lawsuit. The whole debacle created so much tension that Cocker was escorted down the red carpet premiere in London to avoid reporters' questions on the subject.
(On a semi-related note, this great interview with Daniel Radcliffe may have been missed in the hooplah surrounding Goblet of Fire's release in November 2005. It's all about Dan's musical tastes and mentions both Cocker and Franz Ferdinand.)
UPDATE: The Wyrd Sisters are appealing this ruling and will continue on with their $40 million lawsuit against Warner Bros.
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Head Girl
Points: 442
dalishka says:
wow... that has to be hard.. paying that amount of money... and to a company thats so popular... So good luck to that band....oh and by the way I didn't know there was a band called like the one of the book..
Posted Jul 2, 2006 at 8:54 PM EST
Auror
Points: 3659
Anastasia Popovick says:
Sorry for the double post but I thought about this whole thing more after I signed off earlier.
I love unusual and unique music and I actually would have given this band a listen maybe purchased their music. However now, I'm just hacked off with them for wasting so much time and money that I won't.
We have to pay the price in the long run for stupid lawsuits like this. Everything costs us more because the Warner Bros isn't going to eat that cost and their recording company isn't either...and so on and so on and so on..
Why don't people think without a lawyer once and awhile. Use some common sense.
Ok I'm done. (winks)
Posted Jul 2, 2006 at 9:11 PM EST
Seer
Points: 15207
Brittany Radcliffe says:
Hmmmm...see what all this nonsense did! we missed an inerview with Dan which is WAAAAY more important then some group getting all mad about something in HP!
Posted Jul 2, 2006 at 9:51 PM EST
Auror
Points: 2465
undisputed760 says:
You know, honestly, im glad that they are ordered to pay. I dont think its about the money but they owe WB for all the trouble they caused. I thought the whole this was ridiculous.
Posted Jul 2, 2006 at 9:52 PM EST
Witch
Points: 914
hp-luver says:
I didn't really know there was a band called the Wyrd Sisters, and I'm from Winnipeg. A bit weird, though.
Posted Jul 2, 2006 at 10:59 PM EST
Witch
Points: 510
Livian Silver says:
Serves the band right. I think it was all about getting bit of publicity too. Reading the article, WB were willing to pay them $50K to share the name and they turned it down due to plain old greed. And I'm glad they are forced to pay legal costs of $140K. Providing they actually realise they did something dumb.
And another point - Terry Pratchet's books of Disc World - I know in the cartoon (not read the books, but seen two stories animated) they have the Wyrd Sisters in there too - three witch sisters. Who came first, Pratchet or the Canadian band? I didn't see either of those two sueing each other over naming rights. I guess that band just wanted to make trouble for the HP fans for their own twisted reasons.
With no more funds, maybe they will think before they do something like this again.
Posted Jul 2, 2006 at 11:13 PM EST
Professor
Points: 1122
PhoenixPatronus2 says:
In a way I don't blame them for wanting to recuperate legal costs, but at the same time it's not like WB is hurting for money. I think the Wyrd Sisters would have been smarter if they'd tried to find a legal way to take advantage of what they perceived as a connection to Harry Potter.
Posted Jul 2, 2006 at 11:27 PM EST
Student
Points: 200
CWalk says:
Filing a lawsuit just for that is pretty crazy; I mean, it's something anyone could put in a book like JKR did.
By the way, anyone read Dan's interview? I thought he was too harsh. Just because you don't like like one type of music doesn't mean that everything else is crap! I mean, I love Dan, but that just isn't right.
Posted Jul 2, 2006 at 11:48 PM EST
Muggle
Points: 3
KenzieHP says:
I'm actually glad WB is ordering this band to pay their court fees. WB doesn't need the money, but it's sending a message to people not to sue corporations for petty things.
Posted Jul 2, 2006 at 11:53 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 1st Class
Points: 1921
gubbyfish says:
I agree with you KenzieHP, it's not about the money for WB, it's about making a statement. I was so disgusted when I first heard about this band trying to stop GOF movie from being released. They were taking advantage and hoping WB would cough up more money, but their greed just got them burned. I love it when rotten people get what they deserve.
Posted Jul 3, 2006 at 12:11 AM EST
Wizard
Points: 649
Sir Blake the First says:
I am so tired of people sueing for everything. I am glad that not only did this dork not win but that he had to pay the company that he sued for their court fees. I wish this happened more often.
Posted Jul 3, 2006 at 12:21 AM EST
Order of Merlin, 3rd Class
Points: 1499
Belle of the Ball says:
Wow! I never realized they were an actual band. Even though it's spelled differently. Is that really the name of the lead singer in the books too? I don't remember the names of the band ever being mentioned but maybe they were. It just a whole weird situation I guess.
Posted Jul 3, 2006 at 12:54 AM EST
Long Way from Happy
Points: 2952
OEHFICE says:
Good, that ought to teach them for their cheap publicity stunt which is all the whole debacle was about...I'm glad the justice system works somewhere in this world...now WB will be $140,000 richer!
Posted Jul 3, 2006 at 2:29 AM EST
Auror
Points: 2945
Ariana Dumbledore says:
I heard about the Wyrd Sisters' argument at the time, but honestly, the HP band doesn't even have the same name! They're completely different!
Posted Jul 3, 2006 at 2:36 AM EST
Order of Merlin, 3rd Class
Points: 1453
smart hermione says:
Oh COME ON! I mean okay, Wyrd Sisters did create a big fuss over nothing, and they were stupid to think that they could ban hp4, but 140,000 is a bit harsh!
ps: DAN IS REALLY STUPID saying that no pop cds should be allowed and that stores with pop cds should be fined. I mean, would he like it if i told him that the bands he likes are real s**t?!
Posted Jul 3, 2006 at 2:48 AM EST
Student
Points: 247
RioWeasley12 says:
God!!! that wierd !!
Crazy ! 140,000 dollar what a big money!!!
Posted Jul 3, 2006 at 4:47 AM EST
Harry's Mental Advisor
Points: 19432
Smileyradcliffe says:
Ah so cool
that would be so neat if they did..
peace
love
happiness
becky loves kazim
always and 4ever
Posted Jul 3, 2006 at 8:03 AM EST
Professor
Points: 1011
Fflewddur Fflam says:
That's a real shame...it would have been cool to have the release of the CD with the movie. It is a shame that the Canuck's felt the need to sue.
Posted Jul 3, 2006 at 8:23 AM EST
Auror
Points: 2563
School Governor says:
Ha Ha Ha, shame it was not more cash to pay out. But they did get a lot of publicity, so I suppose it was worth the band starting the law suit in the first place.
Posted Jul 3, 2006 at 8:38 AM EST
Order of Merlin, 1st Class
Points: 1823
zues says:
CWalk, you are totaly right. He was not very nice about other kinds of music. I like some of the stuff he dose, and I like some pop. What a jerk he was being. "Hey Dan, Just becouse you don't like, doen't mean it's not good". I think somone should put him in his place.
Posted Jul 3, 2006 at 10:36 AM EST
Prefect
Points: 354
Ron&Hermione-forever says:
I can't beleive they tryed to prevent the release of GoF. Thats bad. It's a bit weird.
Posted Jul 3, 2006 at 10:54 AM EST
Keeper of the Faeries
Points: 5256
juliebug04 says:
Idiots...serves them right. I hope they can afford it--they sure caused enough trouble for countless individuals.
Posted Jul 3, 2006 at 11:19 AM EST
Witch
Points: 827
crazyeme says:
Wow that was really stupid of them. But it wasn't Warner Brother's fault though. They're just basing their movies on the HP books. JKR made up the band. I wonder how long Wyrd sisters have been around. You want to bet that they haven't been around as long as when JKR included the Weird Sisters in one of her books? It'd be pretty stupid if it's so. They probably stole their name from JKR! Well they're paying for it. $140,000 is no small sum of money. Well at least now they get some publicity because I've never heard of the Wyrd Sisters in my life!
Posted Jul 3, 2006 at 11:39 AM EST
Student
Points: 229
AAR4EVER says:
I don't get it. What is this??
Posted Jul 3, 2006 at 12:26 PM EST
Wizard
Points: 503
Zauber says:
How is it her fault if she did not know there was a band with the same name?
Posted Jul 3, 2006 at 2:16 PM EST
Witch
Points: 608
berries&cream says:
Thanks for the update...
xoxo Ana
Posted Jul 3, 2006 at 2:25 PM EST
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