Bay Ridge's best (only?) classic rock tribute band—with a focus on Skynyrd and the Allmans—thinks they're free as a bird to keep their chosen name: the Southern Comfort Band. But Southern Comfort the major alcohol brand is harshing their buzz by sending demands that they change their name.
According to the Brooklyn Paper, lead guitarist Eddie Sarkis received a cease-and-desist from the company, insisting their name be changed and their website be destroyed. But look at that website! A bald eagle, the Statue of Liberty, a dancing bear, the American flag! No way these rockers are going to topple and let corporate America muscle them into changing. In fact, Sarkis says he's been ripping up the requests! He claims he's not worried because they're "just a small group with a southern edge—south Brooklyn, that is—and it’s really no big deal.” Until you draw attention to it in the press!
The last letter they received stated, “Your use of ‘Southern Comfort’ in your band’s name … is likely to cause the public to mistakenly believe that you are associated with, authorized by, or sponsored by Southern Comfort Properties when they are not.” If anything, the band might want to change the name just so they don't look like corporate sell-outs—but either way, if you want to yell "Free Bird" at the end of a show and actually hear it, check 'em out March 5th at Lief Bar in Brooklyn.
