A Conscious Few
San Diego, California, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2013 | SELF
Music
Press
“We got a cease-and-desist letter over the title of our album The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Morality,” says Aaron Spaulding of a Conscious Few. “The CD came out last October, and we just got the letter last week.”
The notice from the NYC law firm of von Maltitz, Derenberg, Kunin, Janssen & Giordano says their client, Penguin Group (USA) Inc., “strongly objects to your unauthorized use of its registered trademark The Complete Idiot’s Guide.” Penguin’s book series debuted 15 years ago. Sales averaged around 1.25 million print and ebooks last year.
The letter accuses the CD cover of being “a point-by-point counterfeit of our client’s well-known trademark.…”
“Yeah, [our album] is designed to look like the books,” says Spaulding. “We looked at it as a parody. They didn’t have to come off like bullies, with a big New York law firm. There are maybe 100 to 150 of the CDs out there. It cost us $2500 to press 1000, so we still have boxes of them.”
The band has until July 30 to provide “written assurance that you will promptly cease all use of our client’s trademark and trade dress.”
Though parody has long-established legal protections that tend to trump trademarks, Spaulding says, “We’ll go along. It’s not worth getting sued. We’ll probably take them off CD Baby, iTunes, and Amazon and just give them away as promotional items.”
A Conscious Few appears at Canes on August 2. “We’ll have the [Idiot’s Guide] CD there, but maybe we shouldn’t sell them,” says Spaulding. “What if we put out a donation box instead?”
- Jay Allen Sanford - San Diego Reader
Discography
October 2009 - Cease and Desist
Spring 2014 - Is This Legal?
Photos
Bio
A few, a conscious few, sense a greater vision, a higher vision. A vision of the possible. They engage the wisdom of the past. They awaken to their vision of a possible future. Their vision of a possible reality. Their vision of a reality they can influence. A reality they can create out of their vision. They intuit their potential greatness...
From one creative extreme to another, what began as a part-time reggae project for two founding members of a popular San Diego metal outfit has since exploded into a local phenomenon. A Conscious Few exudes the musical passion that brings in crowds and keeps them captivated, while exemplifying the professionalism that impresses promoters and those with whom they share the stage.
Music is not a pastime for any member of this band; rather, it is the lifeblood in the bond of four brothers that coalesce as one living, breathing symphonic entity. Sean Jenkins, the classically trained guitarist and song writing maven, seamlessly blends dancing guitar riffs with soulful melodies, while weaving tales of old loves lost and new lusts found. Aaron Spaulding lays down the lows and drives the tight rhythm section with traversing bass lines that rumble sound systems. Bobby Oliver, the master of all that is rhythmic, pounds drum heads and smashes cymbals with commanding fury and meticulous tempo. Ryan Cadigan is the bands Southern boy with a passion for funk and soul. Ryan both tickles the ivories and plucks guitar strings, adding a regal texture to an already diverse sonic portrait.
So how did this remarkable phenomena blossom so quickly?
In addition to boasting members that are well-regarded throughout the music community, A Conscious Few prides itself on being the band that shows up early, sets up quickly, rocks the house, and ultimately respects their fellow musicians. Their gear is top-notch, they possess and can operate their own PA system, and all four members are accomplished musicians and entertainers (Aaron's previous project was recognized as one of the nation's top 34 unsigned bands by a premier record label scouting service). Both the song writing and musicianship are unrivaled: with over thirty complete original songs and a bevy of unique covers (Otis Redding to Sublime), ACF can entertain even the most discriminating barfly.
A Conscious Few has the potential and the commitment to succeed not only locally, but nationwide and abroad. Their esoteric blend of rock and reggae does not merely descend into the mainstream, but rather it rises to the top of a convoluted sea of sound-the-same bands. With the release of the bands debut LP, A Conscious Few has taken it's first step towards achieving well-deserved distinction and notoriety.
Band Members
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