J. Geils Band in "Centerfold" of Lawsuit Print
Thursday, October 04 2012

Remaining members of the rock icon J. Geils Band are being sued by former member and founder John Geils over use of the J. Geils Band name in the current tour line-up.

In the lawsuit, Geils names band members Richard Salwitz, Danny Klein, Peter Wolf and Seth Justman, claiming they "planned and conspired" to exclude Geils from their current tour and are unlawfully using the group's trademarked name. Geils is seeking full rights to the name and prohibition of use by the other band members, plus damages.

"Together they're the J. Geils Band, but separately they're Mr. Wolf, Mr. Salwitz, Mr. Klein and Mr. Justman," said Geils' lawyer, Charles Grimes. "They do not have the right to take his name and use it, and try to deny him the right to use his own name."

News sources indicate that Geils has been reluctant to participate in previous reunions because he prefers jazz music over rock 'n' roll or the music of Geils. In a radio interview, Wolf adds that Geils' legal action is "deceptive," "disturbing" and "fraudulent" and likens the situation to the Allman Brothers and Van Halen's when they went through multiple lineup changes.

—Sources: Rollingstone.com and wzlx.cbslocal.com