Easy Life agree to change name after conceding defeat in EasyJet legal battle

The band will play their final shows under their current name this week...

Easy Life have announced they'll be changing their name after conceding defeat in their legal battle with EastJet parent company EasyGroup.

The band will play their last few shows under their current name this week before continuing under a new alias after Friday.

In an update posted to their website, the band said: “This all came to a head last night, and having explored literally every possible avenue, we have realised that there are no good options available to us, and we need to change our name to move forward”.

Last week, the UK indie pop group revealed they were being sued by the conglomerate and claimed the company were forcing them to change their name or risk getting into a costly legal battle they have little chance of winning.

An EasyGroup spokesperson told NME: “Stelios and easyGroup founded and (now) own the right to the easy brand name.

“Other companies (including easyLife) pay annual royalties for its use as part of their business strategy. We cannot allow unauthorised third parties to simply use it free, gratis and for nothing. That would be very unfair.”

The company said in a separate statement: “With reference to the brand thief Mr Matravers and his fellow band members who have decided to use our brand, easyLife, without permission, we have a long established record of legally stopping thieves from using our brands and I am confident we will stop Mr Matravers.”

In last night’s statement, the band continued: “Sadly, it seems that justice is only available to those who can afford it. We simply don’t have the funds to access a fair trial in the high court. Not to mention the fact that this would likely rattle on through to 2025, and with this hanging over us we wouldn’t be able to release any music in the meantime. Our careers, and indeed our lives, would be on hold”.

“We’re not a nameless company; as you’ve seen, it’s our own personal names on the paperwork”, they went on. “This means that should we lose, the costs will be recouped from us personally. They could take everything; material possessions, our livelihoods, our homes”.

The band have announced that they will play two final shows as Easy Life this week. First at Leicester’s Academy venue tomorrow, and then at Koko in London on Friday.

“Perhaps our case will help provoke a dialogue around legal reform and justice being available to all”, they conclude. “However, I fear such conversations will fall on deaf ears”.

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