John Lydon’s Lawsuit Against Dennis Morris
John Lydon has initiated legal action against a photographer regarding the emblem of his band, Public Image Ltd (PiL).
Dennis Morris is renowned for his depictions of Lydon’s previous band, the Sex Pistols, as well as his work with Bob Marley.
Dispute Over Logo Design
Lydon argues that he conceived PiL’s unique pill-shaped logo and requested that Morris use his design skills to enhance the image. However, Morris contends that he independently proposed the acronym and the tablet concept before drawing the “i” logo on a notepad.
This legal matter follows Lydon’s partnership with the streetwear giant Supreme in 2022 to launch a clothing line featuring the logo on T-shirts, jackets, and caps. Nevertheless, lawyers for Morris reportedly sent a letter to Lydon asserting that the image was not available for commercial use.
“The plaintiff had no role in the design and creation of the logo, which was originally crafted solely by the defendant,” said Morris’ attorney, Edmund Cullen CC, in the High Court, as reported by Daily Mail. “This is pure fiction.”
Details of the Court Case
Lydon and Morris have submitted court documents outlining their recollections of the logo’s creation.
“Shortly after the group adopted the name Public Image Limited and/or PiL, (Lydon) developed a concept for a logo to represent its activities,” Lydon’s attorneys assert. “His idea was a circular logo featuring the acronym PiL, crafted in a simple, formal, business font, with a central ‘i’ distinct from the other letters.
“The defendant, Mr. Morris, was a photographer known to the plaintiff, having photographed the Sex Pistols. Following the band’s breakup, he continued to associate with Lydon and the group.”
“Given the defendant’s access to professional design tools unavailable to the plaintiff, Lydon asked him to assist in refining and finalizing the logo design. The defendant agreed, and together they collaborated on creating the logo. Consequently, a binding contract was established between the parties… to create the logo,” they continued.
“It was an implied term of the contract that the plaintiff would retain sole legal and equitable ownership of the copyright in the logo, as if it were a commissioned work.”
Conversely, Morris’ attorney claimed that Morris “became friends” with Lydon during a trip to Jamaica and that “Mr. Lydon informed Mr. Morris that he had devised a name for a new group, which he initially referred to as Public Image and which shortly thereafter became Public Image Limited.”
He continued: “(Morris) proposed using the acronym PiL for the group, an idea he then developed while designing the logo. It is denied that PiL was utilized by anyone prior to the defendant’s creation of the logo.
“He developed this concept based on the premise that PiL was representing a pill or tablet and crafted a logo that resembled an aspirin tablet, featuring a lowercase ‘i’ in a notch where the pill could be broken. The defendant sketched the logo by hand on paper.” (Morris’s) authorship of the logo was broadly recognized and accepted without objection from any members of the group.”
The case will proceed in court for further examination at a later date.
In the interim, PiL are slated to kick off a UK tour in May 2025. Tickets are still available for purchase. Here.
https://www.nme.com/news/music/john-lydon-sues-photographer-over-classic-public-image-ltd-logo-3829899?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=john-lydon-sues-photographer-over-classic-public-image-ltd-logo
