バナナ訴訟

蔡暁瑋「那只”大香蕉"到底属於誰？」『東方早報』2012年１月13日
“Velvet Underground sues over Warhol cases on iPad, iPhone, Macs” http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/news/2012/01/12/velvet-underground-sues-over-warhol.html
“Velvet Underground sues to prevent its iconic banana being used on iPhone and iPad covers” http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2085880/Velvet-Underground-sues-prevent-iconic-banana-used-iPhone-iPad-covers.html

ヴェルヴェット・アンダーグラウンドが、そのファースト･アルバムThe Velvet Underground and Nicoのジャケットに使われたアンディ・ウォホールのバナナの絵をアンディ・ウォホール財団がiPadなどのアップル製品へ使用することを許諾したことに対して、同財団がバンドのヴィジュアル･イメージ使用権を侵害したとして、同財団をマンハッタン連邦裁判所に起訴した。なお、アップルは被告に含まれていない。
『デイリー・メイル』の記事から少し抜き書き；

The banana in question was selected by Warhol and used with the pop artist's signature on the cover of Velvet Underground's 1967 album 'The Velvet Underground and Nico,' according to the lawsuit.

Although Velvet Underground broke up in 1973, the album later came to be regarded as one of the best albums of all time, and was also referred to as 'The Banana Album'.

As a result the Banana design, which was never officially copyrighted, 'became a symbol, truly an icon, of the Velvet Underground' for some 25 years, the lawsuit said.

'The symbol has become so identified with the Velvet Underground ... that members of the public, particularly those who listen to rock music, immediately recognize the banana design as the symbol of The Velvet Underground,' the complaint added.

The lawsuit said the band had repeatedly asked the Warhol Foundation to cease licensing the banana design to third parties 'in a manner likely to cause confusion or mistake as to the association of Velvet Underground with the goods sold in commerce by such third parties.'

Velvet Underground is seeking an injunction stopping the use of the banana by third parties and a declaration that the Warhol Foundation has no copyright interest in the design

They are also seeking unspecified damages, and a share of the profits made by the Warhol Foundation from any licensing deals.

Velvet Underground & Nico

ヴェルヴェット・アンダーグラウンドは1996年に一応再結成されているんだね。
因みにニコについてはhttp://d.hatena.ne.jp/sumita-m/20081020/1224469273 http://d.hatena.ne.jp/sumita-m/20081211/1229000479 http://d.hatena.ne.jp/sumita-m/20070608/1181274931で、ルー･リードについてはhttp://d.hatena.ne.jp/sumita-m/20111231/1325294523で言及している。