Yoko Ono isn't showing an ounce of compassion for heavy metal musician (and Suicide Girl) Lennon Murphy, who was named after the late Beatle by her mother. Ono is now suing the musician for "tarnishment" of John Lennon's name, "fraudulently" registering the name as a trademark and intentionally exploiting it. Lennon has been using her first name professionally since 1997, and in 2000 (when signed with Arista Records) she cleared the use of the name with Ono. Seems Ono has changed her tune over the years.
On her MySpace blog, lady Lennon airs her frustration about the situation, saying:
This could very well mean the career that I have worked so hard at may come to an end. Lennon is my first name by birth...in 2003 I was granted by the United States Patent & Trademark office the ownership in the name Lennon for musical use. Years pass and no one says a word.
I have no idea what I'm going to do yet in this situation, and I'm stressed, angry, and scared. This is my life. I have no respect for the name Murphy. It was my father's name we will leave it at that. I have represented myself as Lennon because this is my name. That was the name that meant so much to my mother. That's who I am. I'm pissed and hurt that someone in Yoko's position has nothing better to do than fuck with my life, and collect the $25,000,000 a year that the John Lennon estate brings in.
I never falsified my intentions, I never used John Lennon for my benefit, and I never took one cent out of Yoko's bank account. I play music, my name is Lennon.
Now she is being accused of "causing confusion in the market place that has damaged the John Lennon name," the very man she was named after. We're pretty sure no one is confusing John Lennon's music with Lennon's music.
Another Lennon, Julian -- son of John and Cynthia, has spoken out on his MySpace blog as well, reposting the musician's message with the preface: "Sad but True & interesting...I feel for her & know the situation well. Please read carefully...This is NOT about me, but about a girl named 'Lennon'. She has My full support."
