Hi Everyone, I’m Jack from the UK. Massive fan of Damian and the YouTube channel! My band Lounge Lizards have been gaining more traction after releasing our music, and we’re getting more high profile shows which is nice. Question, we’ve now been receiving a few comments about our band name. Turns out there was a jazz band in the 70’s/80’s called The Lounge Lizards. Although we don’t have ‘The’ and we’re not remotely similar in sound, do you think the name will be an issue going forward? Would it be easier for us to have a tactical rebrand and then we don’t have to worry? Many thanks!
Hey mate.
Have you tried searching the UK trademarks government site?
I did it for you just in case and at the moment there is one active trademark for Lounge Lizards.
It is in Class 25: which is for clothing, footwear, headgear.
Typically, you can apply for a trademark with the same name but in a different class, however the existing trademark owner gets a notification and has the chance to object. So for example you would be applying to any of the music classes that apply to you below:
(just type ‘music’ in the search’.
A trademark legally protects your brand, for example brand name (band name). It will allow you to operate as Lounge Lizards and sell merch in this name, for example.
For the correct legal process, the cost and explanations take a look at the Government Trademarks website:
I’m about to register my artist name in a different class so fingers crossed.
Good luck!
Hi mate, Thankyou for this. Yes I’ve checked out the trademarks and saw that we could legally have it in the UK as Lounge Lizards, which is good. Think we need to get on this now. We just seem to get a bit of confusion sometimes as it’s obviously similar 
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Ah perfect, I didn’t know about this when I first started so it’s great that you’re on it. As long as you get the trademark you can legally operate under that name in that specific class only so for example, you couldn’t start selling goods in Class 25: which is for clothing, footwear, headgear as your name otherwise you’ll legally be infringing upon the other Lounge Lizards in that class.
Come back in 3 months when the posting/objection period has expired and let us know how it went. Good luck!
in my novice opinion, if you feel uncomfortable with the responses you are getting, it might be more enjoyable for you and your band to create another name that you all can get behind, and search possibly using chatGPT to uncover any bands with similar names. Once you’ve arrive at a unique name that you all believe in, you can register for your TM and really sink your teeth into branding.
So basically, they can release music under the name, but not any merch? t-shirts / beanies
etc