As reported by Pitchfork, the Beastie Boys have taken legal action against Brinker International, the parent company of Chili’s Grill & Bar, alleging copyright infringement and trademark rights violation. This comes after the restaurant chain used their 1994 hit “Sabotage” and their likeness for a commercial parodying the iconic Spike Jonze–directed music video.
In a complaint filed in a New York federal court on July 10th, the rap group stated that Brinker used the Ill Communication song in a manner that falsely implied Beastie Boys' endorsement of Chili’s.
According to documents obtained by Pitchfork, the Beastie Boys’ attorneys argue that Brinker "intended to evoke the three members of Beastie Boys" by depicting "three characters wearing obvious 70s-style wigs, fake mustaches, and sunglasses" in the commercial. The lawyers also emphasized that the Beastie Boys "do not license ‘Sabotage’ or any of their other intellectual property for third-party product advertising purposes."
The Beastie Boys are seeking $150,000 in monetary damages from the court, along with demands for the removal of the commercials and an order to prevent Brinker from using their work in the future. Notably, this legal action mirrors a previous case in 2014, where Beastie Boys secured a $1.7 million jury verdict against Monster Beverage Corp for unauthorized use of their music.
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