American band sue One Direction over same name

One Direction are being sued over trademark infringement by a California band with the same name.

Lawyers want an injunction to stop the UK boy band using the name, as well as compensation and a share of their profits.

Legal papers filed at California Central District Court, claim Syco and Sony Music realised the duplication but ignored the American band’s rights.

A spokeswoman for Syco, the UK group’s record label, declined to comment.

The California band are asking for more than $1m (£630,000) in damages and also say they’re entitled to three times the profits made by the UK group.

The claim, which was filed on Monday, also says Syco and Sony Music “chose to ignore the plaintiff’s rights and wilfully infringed them” after they realised in early 2011 that the bands had the same name.

It says that the Californian band are suffering “substantial confusion and substantial damage” because of the UK group, who recently sold out their debut US tour.

Court papers claim they’ve been using the name since 2009, have recorded two albums, and applied to trademark the name One Direction in February 2011.

The UK five-piece – who were put together on The X Factor in 2010 – recently made chart history in America.

Their album Up All Night went straight in at number one on the Billboard charts last month. It makes them the first British band to top the charts with their debut.

The group have just finished a promotional tour of the country and are currently in Australia.