Erwin Oliva
INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines – There is now an ongoing trademark dispute over the name of the popular Filipino band Rivermaya, its manager Lizza Nakpil and lawyer of the band members told INQUIRER.net in separate interviews.

Representing the Riverymaya band members, lawyer Patricia Alvarez confirmed that she filed an opposition to Nakpil’s application for the “Riverymaya” trademark with the Intellectual Property Office (IPO).

Nakpil applied for the Rivermaya trademark with the IPO last July 7, online records of the government agency showed.

Rivermaya drummer Mark Edward Escueta, however, also has a pending application for the same trademark, which he filed on October 10.

“Lizza Nakpil has attempted to register the name. What she has is an application,” Alvarez said in a telephone interview.

IPO rules allow any opposition to trademarks filed with the agency, Alvarez said.

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By Erwin Oliva
INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines–Following the news that Rivermaya has parted ways with its manager Liza Nakpil, a controversy over who owns the Rivermaya trademark has started brewing.

A check with the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) website shows that former manager Liza Nakpil has applied for the trademark “Rivermaya” on July 7, 2008 under the “Entertainment” classification of goods.

According to the IPO, the trademark application of Nakpil is “for updating,” which, according to intellectual property expert and lawyer Jun Rodriguez, indicates that the application is awaiting publication.

Meanwhile, the same search on the trademark “Riverymaya” produces another applicant, Mark Edward Escueta who is a member of the band. A closer look reveals that his application is still “pending.”

Escueta applied for trademark application on October 10, 2008, and has classified the trademark name “Rivermaya” under “clothing, footwear, headgear” and “entertainment.”

In all trademark applications, the rule of thumb is “first to file,” Rodriguez added.

As of this writing, officials at the Bureau of Trademarks of the IPO are unavailable for comment.

Breaking news: Filipino rock band Rivermaya has left their manager Lizza Nakpil.

Excerpt:

MANILA, Philippines—(UPDATE) More than a year after Rivermaya front man Rico Blanco left to pursue a solo career, it’s now the other members’ turn to take drastic action.

No, none of them is about to leave the band again. Instead, they have decided to part ways with manager Lizza Nakpil. One band member was said to have consulted with a songwriters’ group about record contracts that Rivermaya has entered into since its inception.

One of the major issues at hand, according to a source, is the unauthorized collection of royalties due the band.

More details can be read here.

By Abigail Kwok
INQUIRER.net

WHY is it that good bands eventually break up?

It is a common sight, not just here but also abroad, for popular bands to eventually disband. It could be that a member leaves for “greener pastures” or to “pursue a different career path.” Nevertheless, it is a sad sight to see that those who leave are the front men and the songwriters. Once they leave, the band is rendered helpless. Some pick up the pieces and find a replacement, while others just simply pack up their bags and head home.

Take The Beatles, for example. The Beatles, admit it or not, are nothing without Paul McCartney and John Lennon. When The Beatles eventually disbanded after the production of their last studio album, Abbey Road, everyone decided to try and make it on their own. Each Beatles member produced his own solo album, but not all of them became a big hit. In fact, it was just McCartney and Lennon’s solo albums that clicked with the listening audience (you can just imagine how Lennon was such a phenomenon back then).

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