Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings Sue Current Guess Who Band

Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings, unique members of the Guess Who since their formation below that title in 1968, have filed a lawsuit in opposition to the band presently utilizing the moniker on tour.

According to a press launch, the pair – who co-wrote a few of the Canadian band’s largest hits – has sued bassist Jim Kale and drummer Garry Peterson for falsely promoting “a group of hired musicians who have been touring and recording using the band’s name.”

The lawsuit additionally alleges that the musicians have been utilizing pictures together with Bachman and Cummings, who have not carried out as members of the Guess Who for 20 years, to advertise the band.

READ MORE: When the Guess Who Tried to Force the Who to Change Their Name

Kale joined the Guess Who in 1962 after they had been nonetheless often known as Chad Allan and the Reflections. He left the band (in response to the press launch, he was kicked out) in 1972; Peterson was additionally a member of the group because the early ’60s and stayed with them till 1975 after they broke up.

What Happened to the Guess Who?

The Guess Who has since gone by means of a number of reunions, just a few even together with Bachman – who went on to kind Bachman-Turner Overdrive after he left the band in 1970 – over time. Kale and Peterson have saved the group energetic with different musicians.

The lawsuit filed in Los Angeles federal court docket on Monday claims that Kale and Peterson “allegedly concoct[ed] a deceptive scheme that has falsely led fans into buying tickets for the cover band’s live shows and implying that Burton Cummings and Randy Bachman are performing at the shows when in fact they have no affiliation with the cover band.”

Bachman and Cummings are additionally saying the touring group has been “removing images of Cummings and Bachman from the landing pages of music streaming platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music and replacing them with pictures of the cover band to boost sales of tickets for live performances. The suit additionally states the defendants have been using songs written by Cummings and Bachman to promote the cover band without obtaining proper licenses.”

READ MORE: Randy Bachman Interview

In addition to “tarnish[ing] the band’s legacy,” Bachman and Cummings declare the Guess Who’s “actions are alleged to have impeded [their] own ability to book live performances in the United States.” The guitarist and singer behind the Top 10 songs “These Eyes,” “Laughing,” “No Time” and “American Woman” have toured collectively in recent times.

What Is Going on With the Guess Who Lawsuit?

Bachman and Cummings are searching for greater than $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,” Cummings mentioned. “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.”

“Burton and I are the ones who wrote the songs and made the records,” Bachman noted. “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.”