Rhythmix Charity’s existence threatened by name of new Xfactor ‘Girl band’


As I type, many of you are probably plumping up your cushions for Simon Cowell’s latest karaoke shit-circus, that is the start of the Xfactor live shows on ITV this evening. Meanwhile the Xfactor hierarchy has been called into question over its treatment of a leading music charity and the use of the name Rhythmics for it’s latest manufactured girl band.

Rhythmix is the name of one of the UK’s leading music charities. It works with some of the most vulnerable young people in the UK; children with physical and learning disabilities, bereaved children, young people in care, young people in detention units. Rhythmix works through music to give these young people a way to express themselves.  The X Factor is a television show that makes money. Exploits its contestants and manipulates it’s audience serving up a succession of manufactured artists who mostly drop off the face of the earth(or the Syco label) whithin two years.

Last Saturday, The X Factor decided to take the name Rhythmix and use it for a girl band. The four-strong group, who were put together after entering the show as solo acts and beind rejected, are among the 16 finalists who will fight it out in the first live show on Saturday.




 The Charity wrote to the programme pointing out they owned the trademark name and that they were a music charity that stages concerts, puts out CDs, and works with the most vulnerable young people. Regardless of the legal issues, the Charity highlighted the absolutely inappropriate confusion between an X Factor girl band and the severe challenges faced by the young people Rhythmix works with.

Talking to the Daily Mirror, Mark Davyd, the chief executive of music charity Rhythmix, said he had enlisted a legal firm to write to the team behind the hit show asking them to change the band’s name after his earlier request was ignored.


He said: “The first reply from X Factor was basically ‘We don’t care’. Maybe I’m naive but I work in an area where I expect people to do the right thing.


“No-one would call a band Nordoff Robbins or Shelter. Now I accept that we are not as big as those organisations but we put on concerts and put out CDs and its just not appropriate.

“We’ve started to have to pay out money to protect the integrity of the charity which I just think is ridiculous.”

The charity, which was set up in 1999 and is based in Brighton, organises musicians to work with hundreds of disabled and vulnerable children every year.

An X Factor spokeswoman said: “The charity in question have trademarked the name ‘Rhythmix’ for educational purposes only, which is not in conflict with the band or the show.”

 
Please don’t let X Factor steal the name and reputation of this very valuable, dedicated Charity.

So how can we help? Firstly go here and donate to this most worthwhile of charities here:

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/charity-web/charity/finalCharityHomepage.action?uniqueVmgCharityUrl=rhythmix
Secondly:
•Post this message everywhere you can and tell the producers of X Factor to grow some moral balls. Change the name.
•get tweeting – anything that includes – @RhythmixMusic name and #Rhythmix
•Go to their facebook and like – http://www.facebook.com/RhythmixMusicCharity

The folks behind the successful Rage against the Machine Xfactor campaign of 2009 are again leading the charge again, and we’re fully behind them!

http://m.facebook.com/ratm4xmas?refid=22

  1. To be fair, I’m sure a band could call themselves Shelter. But the point is Shelter isn’t a music charity, so there isn’t confusion. The argument would be that the group didn’t exist a few months ago, so changing their name shouldn’t really matter. Would seem big to change their name, but is doable. To be fair, they might just eliminate them tonight anyway.

    Hopefully they will, particularly given the one of the singers from The Risk has done lots of mentoring stuff himself, is a Christian, and spent most of his childhood in care, before just finishing a History Degree at Cambridge! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZH10Bcj6abk

  2. To be honest, I think they’re making too big a deal out of it. It’s not fair to fight against four talented girls because of a name they’ve been given. There’s always going to be someone else with a similar name, or with something to complain about.

    It’s also silly to say that Rhythmix the band should change their name. Legally, they’re allowed that name, and the charity is wasting a lot of good money fighting in court, which chances are they won’t win. If they’d not wanted a band to use this name, they should have properly copyrighted it within all areas. And this will in no way destroy the charity; it’ll probably make it bigger. I hadn’t heard of it until this.

    If they’re that bothered, it would be easier and cheaper for the charity to change their name. And they seem to have a lot of complaints, so this would be another thing to complain about!!

    I completely support this charity 100%, but what they’re doing and saying is just childish, and not an appropriate way to solve the problem, and this article in my opinion is completely pathetic. By claiming that this show is small and insignificant, it honestly shows the charity as smaller, as it has less supporters and wrongly exposes the show for something it isn’t. After reading this, I’d rather donate my money to a different children’s charity, that doesn’t big themselves up and put down other musical people that the charity SHOULD be supporting, as it’s often the kind of people they work with going for their dreams.

    And Christopher, background, religion or education shouldn’t affect a music competition – it’s about talent!

    1. Are you serious Emily, why should a charity which has been around since 1999 have to change it’s name? Talented – if they were they wouldn’t be on X Factor if they were talented, and if they win they’ll be a one hit wonder like the rest of Cowell’s progeny and forgotten about in a couple of years

  3. Because COWELL owns you all thats why and yes she is serious cowell wins you lose that IS HOW IT HAS TO BE IT IS HOW IT HAS TO BE IT IS HOW IT HAS TO BE

  4. The charity’s concern and blatant bitterness about this is laughable. Rhythmics will last another fortnight if they’re lucky. The public certainly won’t remember them when they’re gone, whenever that might be. The charity also has no solid legal issue because of the variation in name. It might be slight, but as presumably Rhythmix have met no problem with Rhysmix or – y’know – THE EURYTHMICS, I’m guessing it’s enough to qualm the problem.

    It fucks me off when your bog standard person pulls out the “boo hoo they’re ruining the music industry” card, let alone when a charity supposedly educating people on the music industry does it. X Factor IS the music industry, you incredibly stupid dopes. Get a grip. If you’re not teaching these kids the business side of the entertainment industry – no matter how fickle or immoral – then you’re doing them a serious injustice.

  5. I see your point Tiffany and I agree some of his quotes are a bit clumsy.Plus I understand what you’re saying about this kind of thing going on in the music industry all the time. Hence Xfactor is less ‘THE INDUSTRY’ more just a reflection of it. And a very crass and sorry one at that.

    However the point that really irks people is the fact that the charity has been fobbed off really. Also the irony isn’t lost on people when a TV show that claims to give young people an opportunity in the music industry uses it’s power to bully a children’s charity that genuinely helps people. The issue may never have come to light if the Xfactor hadn’t treated the charity so shoddily.

    And yes they could be out in a week or two but that’s kind of the point why dispute the name so dogmatically in that case? Although the other names you mention are similiar they are NOT THE SAME. Hence there is no problem with copyright/trademark etc. Yes, taking someone’s name can actually damage their reputation I’m afraid, hence why numerous bands have had to chance their names for the US market.

  6. But don’t the X Factor group spell it “Rhythmics” and not “Rhythmix” like the charity? Rhysmix is certainly pronounced “Rhyt-mix” which is near enough to cause legal concern…

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God is in the TV is an online music and culture fanzine founded in Cardiff by the editor Bill Cummings in 2003. GIITTV Bill has developed the site with the aid of a team of sub-editors and writers from across Britain, covering a wide range of music from unsigned and independent artists to major releases.