THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Burton Cummings and Randy Bachman, founding members of The Guess Who, have filed a false advertising lawsuit in U.S. Federal Court in response to a group of hired musicians who have been touring and recording using the band’s name. In addition, according to the lawsuit, these hired musicians have been using photographs that include Cummings and Bachman to create the false impression that the hired cover band is the original The Guess Who.
Former Guess Who bassist Jim Kale and long-serving drummer Garry Peterson are being sued for allegedly concocting a deceptive scheme that has falsely led fans into buying tickets for the cover band’s live shows and implying that Cummings and Bachman are performing at the shows when, in fact they have no affiliation with the band.
The lawsuit also claims that Kale and Peterson have been removing images of Cummings and Bachman from the landing pages of streaming platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music and replacing them with pictures of the band in an effort to boost sales of tickets for performances. The suit additionally states the defendants have been using songs written by Cummings and Bachman to promote the band without obtaining proper licenses.
The band’s actions are alleged to have impeded both Cummings’ and Bachman’s own ability to book live performances in the United States and tarnished the band’s legacy. The plaintiffs seek in excess of $20 million in damages as well as a court order directing Kale and Peterson to take corrective measures notifying the public and all venues where the cover band is playing with truthful advertising.
“With this lawsuit, Randy and I hope to set the record straight and protect fans from imposters trying to rewrite history,” says Cummings. “Even after we’re gone, the legacy of The Guess Who will live on, and we want to make sure that legacy is restored and preserved truthfully.”
Bachman adds, “Burton and I are the ones who wrote the songs and made the records. It’s Burton’s voice and my guitar playing on those albums. Anyone presenting and promoting themselves as The Guess Who are clones who are ripping off our fans and tainting the legacy of the band. It’s about time for the real story to come out.”
