Pinkerton Upset By Rock Group's Album Name

LOS ANGELES, Sept 25 (Reuter) - The Pinkerton detective agency is turning its attention from tracking down villains to battling a popular rock band, which the company says is illegally using its name. Pinkerton has obtained a temporary restraining order prohibiting Los Angeles-based band Weezer from selling its latest album, "Pinkerton", which was released in the U.S. on Tuesday. The Encino, Calif.-based company, which was founded in 1850 by the original "private eye", Allan Pinkerton, says its name is a registered trademark. A spokesman told Reuters on Wednesday the company did not want to get caught up in any controversy if people took exception to the album's lyrics and blamed Pinkerton. The clean-cut band, whose lead singer is a student at Harvard University, had a big hit recently with the song "Buddy Holly." The video spliced Weezer into Al's Diner scenes from the TV show "Happy Days." A spokesman at Geffen Records, which is releasing the album said the album's title was inspired by the villainous lead character in the Puccini opera, "Madame Butterfly". None of the album's songs refers to "Pinkerton", although the last track is an acoustic love song called "Butterfly." Geffen spokesman Dennis Dennehy said vocalist Rivers Cuomo is a big opera buff. "It wasn't meant to be aimed at a corporate entity," Dennehy said. The order prevents Geffen and Weezer advertising the record in print, television, on the Internet or any other medium with the name "Pinkerton" associated with the album. However stores are still selling the album. Geffen, which is part of Seagram Co's MCA Inc media giant, will seek to dissolve the order at a court hearing on Thursday. Pinkerton spokesman Dereck Andrade said the company did not want to stop the band from making money, but the company had to ensure its was protecting the interests of its shareholders. He hoped there could be a "suitable resolution", but declined to offer any possibilities. Pinkerton is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

Weezer Wins Battle Over Pinkerton

Weezer received more than applause during an in-store performance Sept. 24 at Tower Records in Los Angeles celebrating the release of their new album Pinkerton. They were served a temporary restraining order prohibiting the band or Geffen Records from selling, distributing or advertising the record under the name "Pinkerton", reports the Los Angeles Times. Pinkerton, Inc., a security and investigation company based in Encino, Calif., took such legal action because they believed Weezer was attempting to capitalize on the firm's reputation, says the L.A. Times. "You just can't go around infringing on a corporation's identity", said Dereck Andrade, a spokesperson for Pinkerton, Inc. However, Geffen claims that Weezer named their second album after a character in Puccini's opera Madame Butterfly. By Sept. 26, the restraining order was dissolved and the album was able to retain its name and remain on the shelves. "We're really pleased that we're able to proceed with promoting 'Pinkerton.' The members of Weezer are just really happy to have their artistic vision preserved and excited to get back out on tour and support the album", said the group's management. -- L.P.

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