Saxon (band) - Battle For Band Name: 2003

Battle For Band Name: 2003

In 1999, ex band members Graham Oliver and Steven Dawson registered 'Saxon' as a trade mark. They then maintained that they had exclusive rights in the name and tried to prevent Biff Byford and Saxon's promoters and merchandisers from using the name. Byford applied to the Trade Mark Registry to have the trade mark declared invalid. He applied on the basis that the registration had been obtained in bad faith (section 3(6) of the Trade Marks Act 1994) and that he was entitled to prevent use of the trade mark by bringing an action for 'passing off', that is an action to stop others misrepresenting themselves as Saxon (section 5(4) of the Act). In 2003 the High Court decided that it was Byford and the current members of the band who owned the name, and the goodwill which they had generated themselves and were therefore in a position to prevent Oliver and Dawson passing themselves off as Saxon. After this they renamed their band Oliver/Dawson Saxon.