Oh how we love things to be named for celebs! Think of all the burger joints you’ve gone to with interesting menu names. The deal there is that they aren’t known to the star themselves (or their reps) but when the advertising takes off.. a cease and desist mail arrives on your doorstep.
Such is the case with a Vermont brewery and its “Ozzy Ale” offering. The can (as you cans see) shows the tattooed knuckles spelling out ‘ozzy’, much like that of the left had of Black Sabbath head, Ozzy Osbourne. The can also shows the images of bats, one with hits head missing and blood oozing.. much like the 1982 ‘bite the head off the bat’ episode of Ozzys stage show.
That doesnt fly well with the singers reps, I mean where is their cut of the profits? So the C&D letter went out and the legal battle was on.. and guess who won? Osbourne of course! So the beer has now been renamed Beazly beer. That name was offered up to honor Mark Barker a Vermont bartender (?)….
There is no word on the cans art. If they able to continue using this obvious Sabbath imagery is without explanation, but if it remains there is no one around who is going to call this anything but Ozzy. But the legal eagles made nice and agreed on it and so it will stay Beazly Ale. Personally, Ozzy Ale sounds a lot cooler but then again- it’s canned beer so you cant really expect too much.
Those who got their hands on the original product now have an eBay worthy commodity on their hands.. gentlemen start your bidding.
