U.S. Trademark Registration Numbers 1,273,912 and 1,545,702. |
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I know it's a good, if somewhat overused name. It wasn't when I started using it in the early 1970s. But, you can't use it now without violating Federal law. Please don't try to appropriate it.
It's confusing enough out there in the music marketplace. What trademarks try to do is sort out the confusion. The owner of the trademark in a given narrow field (like music or electronics) becomes the only one legally allowed to trade under that name. It protects the consumer from buying goods or services other than what was expected. I've been using SYNERGY® to present my music to the public in interstate trade for over a quarter of a century. Some years ago, the US Federal Government Patent and Trademark Office agreed that my SYNERGY® was the first and only musical entity that met their criteria for issuing the trademarks for music and entertainment purposes because I had been the first to firmly establish the name in the marketplace. The subsequent renewals of the trademarks bear this out.
In case you're interested, SYNERGY® is registered in Classes 41 and 42 which cover performing and entertainment uses, and the technology for making, recording and conveying those performances. That includes, but is not limited to, music synthesizers, recording equipment, digital audio computers and workstations, and software. It includes the names of bands or other performers, recording studios, record labels and media production companies that work with sound and audio. This definitely includes all CDs and other audio recordings, nearly any medium that uses music or audio, and practically any usage that incorporates music or audio even when it's linked to other media like a soundtrack, a CD-ROM, a DVD, or a multimedia presentation.
In short, if you release a CD with the name SYNERGY® appearing on the cover, either as the name of the artist or as the title of the recording, purchasers are likely to be confused by the similarity and buy your record thinking that it's by me. If you play live under the name SYNERGY® , my fans will think that it's one of my performances and that's not fair to them. If you start a recording studio, a production company or manufacture recording gear, synthesizers, or music related software, then there is a likelihood of confusion in that people will either expect that I'm involved or that I'm endorsing that organization. This is exactly what trademarks are there to prevent from happening. I don't like getting irate mail from my fans when they feel ripped off after paying for some other SYNERGY® and I especially don't like seeing my commissioning clients being diverted to someone else's company that's using my name. For everybody's benefit I exercise my legal protections as a trademark owner whenever it becomes necessary.
We've had successful outcomes from dealings with businesses which have attempted to use the name without permission--from Fortune 500 companies right down to sole proprietors. It's made a lot of lawyers rich in the last two decades. Please don't contribute to your lawyer's vacation condo fund. (It should be obvious; do a trademark search before you start a business!)
If you would like to license the trademark SYNERGY® for
a use that is covered by my registration, but that my
lawyers and I find acceptable, please email me at
synergy@eclipse.net.
I'll run it past my trademark and intellectual property
protection lawyers for consideration.
For more information about trademarks please visit the
U.S.
Patent and Trademark Office at
http://www.uspto.gov/
Thanks.
Larry Fast/SYNERGY® Electronic Music, Inc.
This page was last revised on October 10, 1999